The Chinese tech company unveiled its first EV concept; a potential Tesla Model S rival
21 Apr 2016 | 3176 Views | By Sergius Barretto, Autocar India
Internet and technology company LeEco from China, formerly known as LeTv, has unveiled its Le Super Car.
Not familiar with LeEco? Think Flipkart and Aston Martin. LeEco had launched its phones in India via Flipkart to a fairly good response. On the automobile front, LeEco had also announced in ...
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Internet and technology company LeEco from China, formerly known as LeTv, has unveiled its Le Super Car.
Not familiar with LeEco? Think Flipkart and Aston Martin. LeEco had launched its phones in India via Flipkart to a fairly good response. On the automobile front, LeEco had also announced in February this year a partnership with Aston Martin to jointly help build the latter’s electric RapidE by 2018.
LeEco, founded in November 2004, is an internet and technology company, but states that “disruptive innovation” is its guiding principle. Today its business spans many areas, from Internet TV, video production and distribution to connected super-electric cars.
For its car business, LeEco has set up its auto subsidiary LeAuto, and while helping develop Aston’s electric RapidE, will be foraying into the auto business on its own with LeSEE, where 'SEE' stands for 'Super Electric Ecosystem’.
The recently unveiled concept supercar is the first product to come out of LeEco's automotive division, and is pegged squarely against the Tesla Model S. Its one-piece panoramic roof extends right from the front windscreen all the way to the rear glass area.
Like on Tesla cars, the battery pack is placed inside the floor of the car, which should give the concept a low centre of gravity, and hence, good driving dynamics. Interiors get shape-shifting seats, cameras instead of outside rear-view mirrors, internet-enabled touchscreens - one each for the rear passengers, one on the centre console, and a windshield that doubles up as an augmented reality screen. Its steering wheel folds away in autonomous mode. Additionally, the concept also features facial recognition and emotion recognition systems.
LeAuto intends to be a player throughout the automotive value chain, to cover internet-connected EV R&D, production and manufacturing, sales, EV charging strategy, after-sales services, and car sharing.
LeEco seems to be very aggressive and moving rapidly with its auto ambitions, and with the direction clearly steered towards its connected, electric and even autonomous and self-driving cars. This puts it up globally against Google and Tesla, and also some of the auto industry bigwigs who have some plans in this direction underway.