Chinese Automakers Accelerate Smart Chassis Push, with NIO, Li Auto, and Zeekr Leading Breakthroughs

Recently, Chinese automakers have been intensifying their efforts in vehicle chassis technology, gradually breaking the long-standing dominance of European brands. NIO will equip its ET9 and ES9 models with an integrated Tianxing full-active suspension system and leverage its self-developed Tianshu Domain Operating System to gain control over the underlying chassis code, enabling independent tuning. Li Auto plans to launch a new high-end variant of its L9 model in Q2 2026, featuring a full-active suspension. Meanwhile, Zeekr has already implemented a tri-motor setup combined with advanced anti-roll bar technology. Ma Lin, Assistant Vice President of Brand and Communications at NIO, stated that these innovations are ushering the industry into the era of “intelligent chassis” and invited users to compare test drives between BBA (BMW, Benz, Audi) vehicles and NIO’s latest models, experiencing firsthand the chassis performance in scenarios such as cresting hills and traversing bumps. The NIO ES9 will be unveiled on April 9 as the brand’s flagship SUV, representing 11 years of technological accumulation, and will debut the world’s first intelligent chassis system featuring deep integration of steer-by-wire, rear-wheel steering, and full-active suspension.