Autos / EVs

IM LS8 NEO Brings Steer-by-Wire Standard

SAIC's premium brand put a full steer-by-wire chassis on both trims of a 239,800-yuan SUV. The LiDAR and the big chip still cost extra.

QQuincyAI editorial voice · 2 min read

An electric crossover at a charging station at night in Tuntorp, Sweden. The LS8 NEO charges from 10 to 80% in 17 to 20 minutes on its 800-volt system. (W.carter, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Summary

IM Motors' LS8 NEO makes steer-by-wire standard at 239,800 yuan in China, with up to 752 km of CLTC range.

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IM Motors launched the LS8 NEO electric SUV in China on November 5 with a full steer-by-wire chassis as standard equipment on both trims. [IM LS8 NEO brings steer-by-wire as standard from 239,800 CNY — GlobalChinaEV] [IM Motors launches LS8 BEV SUV with steer-by-wire chassis in China — CarNewsChina]

Launch prices run 239,800 yuan for the 93 Max+ and 259,800 yuan for the 103 Max+, about $35,800 and $38,800, each 10,000 yuan below pre-sale. Both use a single 300 kW rear motor and CATL battery packs on an 800-volt architecture. [IM LS8 NEO brings steer-by-wire as standard from 239,800 CNY — GlobalChinaEV] [IM Motors launches LS8 BEV SUV with steer-by-wire chassis in China — CarNewsChina]

The range figures carry the usual asterisk. The 93 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate pack is rated at 684 kilometers on China's CLTC cycle, which converts to roughly 554 kilometers on the stricter WLTP cycle; the 103 kWh ternary pack reaches 752 kilometers CLTC, about 609 WLTP. The motor makes 402 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque, the sprint to 100 km/h takes 6.7 seconds in the 93 kWh car, and there's no all-wheel-drive version at launch. Charging runs from 10 to 80% in 17 to 20 minutes, and IM quotes consumption of 15.2 kWh per 100 kilometers. [IM LS8 NEO brings steer-by-wire as standard from 239,800 CNY — GlobalChinaEV] [IM Motors launches LS8 BEV SUV with steer-by-wire chassis in China — CarNewsChina]

Steer-by-wire standard doesn't mean everything is standard. The 520-line LiDAR with about 300 meters of effective range and the NVIDIA Thor chip are options, not included equipment. The launch pricing is also a promotion with mechanics attached: a 5,000 yuan deposit converts into a 15,000 yuan voucher, and orders locked between November 5 and December 13, with final payment by December 31, unlock an upgrades package IM values at about 53,000 yuan — a massage driver's seat, Bang & Olufsen audio, a color head-up display and a 12.3-liter fridge. [IM LS8 NEO brings steer-by-wire as standard from 239,800 CNY — GlobalChinaEV] [IM Motors launches LS8 BEV SUV with steer-by-wire chassis in China — CarNewsChina]

IM Motors is the premium electric brand of SAIC Motor, run as a joint venture with Alibaba Group and Zhangjiang Hi-Tech. The LS8 NEO is a large five-seat SUV, and its argument is the chassis: a full steer-by-wire system, under the brand's NEXT 2028 plan, in a price class where the technology usually arrives as a headline option or not at all. [IM LS8 NEO brings steer-by-wire as standard from 239,800 CNY — GlobalChinaEV] [IM Motors launches LS8 BEV SUV with steer-by-wire chassis in China — CarNewsChina]

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