The development cost of the stainless steel fuel tank material for Li Auto exceeds 10 million yuan, which is six times higher than the conventional version

Li Auto (02015.HK) Head of Material Research Duan Jichao recently disclosed the group's achievements in material research and development. He stated that Li Auto is currently the automaker with the most self-developed materials in the industry and is the only company in China that possesses the capability to self-develop a full spectrum of materials, including steel, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, engineering plastics, elastomers, and composite materials.

At the technology day event, Li Auto showcased dozens of materials covering all categories, including metals, plastics, and fabric leather. Among them, several materials such as ultra-high-strength and high-toughness aluminum plates, high-strength 2000IH hot-formed steel, and low-formaldehyde PU skin are industry firsts.

He pointed out that to achieve a new stainless steel material with ultra-high strength, ultra-high formability, and ultra-strong corrosion resistance, the Li Auto team conducted the design and testing of hundreds of material formulations over a nearly four-year development cycle, refining more than 1,000 tons of steel, completing nearly 100 stamping experiments, over 180 corrosion cycles, and more than 300 puncture and impact tests on fuel tank assemblies, as well as undergoing durability and corrosion assessments on more than twenty sets of fuel tanks. Ultimately, Li Auto developed the ultra-high-strength stainless steel fuel tank material UFHS-X, which has a yield strength 100% higher than traditional 304L, and the puncture resistance of the manufactured fuel tanks is improved by 52%. However, the development cost of this material exceeds 10 million yuan, which is six times higher than the cost of using conventional 304 stainless steel for fuel tanks