Posted on 04/09/2024 6:53:34 AM PDT by Red Badger
Just weeks after teasing the launch of its fourth all-electric model and promising some impressive specs, China’s IM Motors has officially opened pre-orders for its L6 Sedan. The automaker confirmed earlier today that the L6 will be powered by semi-solid-state batteries, offer a range of over 1,000km (620 miles), and deliver unique maneuvers like crabwalk and an intelligent driving chassis.
As we recapped in late March, IM Motors is a fairly young Chinese automaker specializing in EVs that operates as a joint venture between SAIC Motor and Alibaba. Since its 2020 inception, IM Motor has launched three vehicles overseas: the L7 sedan and the LS7 and LS6 SUVs.
This past February, however, IM Motors introduced its second all-electric sedan, the L6. As the first model to hit the market following parent company SAIC’s signed joint venture with QingTao Energy to develop solid-state batteries, we’ve kept our eye on the L6 to see what sort of range capabilities it will offer.
By late March, IM Motors co-CEO confirmed the new L6 will be one of the first in the Chinese market to be powered by genuine solid-state batteries, delivering massive range without sacrificing performance by settling for rear-wheel drive. Following a launch event today, we’ve learned the L6 is powered by semi-solid-state cells, similar to Chinese rival NIO.
Still, the upcoming IM Motors L6 offers lots of range and advanced tech at prices that will certainly remain competitive in the saturated Chinese EV market.
IM Motors L6 offers solid-state tech for under $46k
IM Motors officially launched the new L6 sedan in China today, opening pre-orders for three separate trims priced as follows: the L6 Max Standard Edition at a price of no more than RMB 230,000 ($31,800), the IM L6 Max Performance Edition at no more than RMB 299,900 ($41,475), and the L6 Max Lightyear Edition starting at no more than RMB 330,000 ($45,650).
Only the top-tier Max Lightyear Edition features a 130 kWh semi-solid-state battery pack as part of a “quasi-900 V” platform offering ultra-fast charging and an all-electric range of over 1,000km. IM Motors shared that the non-solid-state versions of the L6 feature 90 kWh and 100 kWh packs that deliver CLTC ranges of 700-770 km $35-479 miles).
After teasing the capabilities late last month, IM Motors used today’s launch event to showcase the L6’s Vehicle Motion Control (VMC) as part of a new intelligent digital chassis, declaring the new sedan as the first in China with crab walk capabilities.
Other features include a cockpit powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P chip, NVIDIA Orin X chips, and roof-mounted LiDAR that support the sedan’s ADAS functions, such as City Drive. Beta testing on that driverless software is expected this quarter, followed by a full rollout in China in Q4 2024.
Although slightly larger than the Tesla Model 3 and Zeekr 007 sedans, the IM Motors L6 is expected to be a competitor to those EVs in the segment, especially given its MSRPs and features. Pre-orders are now open in China and a telling sign will be how many consumers opt into an L6 and if they go for the solid-state version.
The Chinese love Buicks for some odd reason. Maybe the word ‘Buick’ means something else in Mandarin..................
Most if not all Chinese made sold in China EVs are junk. The only one that everybody loves is the Grandpa EV 3 wheeler for which no license is required, made especially for grandpas that have never driven a vehicle. lots and lots of accidents.
Either vaporware or unobtanium.
CC
It’s funny how it is Illegal to watch TV, movies or use your phone hand held but, the Politicians and Cops are just fine with the amount of information coming at you from your dash board, mirrors and steering wheel.
A surprisingly large percentage of buyers want new disposable cars, good for two years, then hopefully totaled in an "accident" and off to the landfill. That's not green by any measure. When these cars are imported into other countries, governments rake in big money on crazy import taxes, 100 times more pure profit than the China manufacturers ever make. But governments would probably extract more total money having the cars locally produced, taxing every step.
Looks like they screwed up the steering wheel design as it’s not even round. Was the designer drunk or something?
“Way too much screen distraction, LOL”
Agree, not sure flashy ads are a good idea if they’re right in front of the driver.
The ‘driver’ is not essential...................
The range is good, but LOTS of unanswered questions relating to the performance of the battery verses Lithium Ion:
1. Optimal charge rate and life impact of higher charge rates
2. Real cost of the battery (car looks cheap, but who knows if it’s being subsidized)
3. Cold and hot weather performance. Lithium Ions like California coastal weather and take hits when it varies. So how much does this battery vary and are there extreme cases where it’s unusable?
4. Safety - how susceptible to fires is it, how frequent?
5. Battery life versus Lithium Ion when operated under a controlled set of conditions.
6. Resources required to manufacture battery, including availability and whether some or most are only available in BRICS Countries (meaning countries sick of the Neocons/Globalists and having the power to tell the Neocon/Globalist-controlled countries to stuff it).
7. Charge/Discharge efficiency (probably not a big deal, but still a factor)
Other factors too, but this is a start.
China eating USA lunch and lunch money
USA falling behind on everything
Usa downfall has begun long time ago
Yeah, but we’re way ahead of them on DEI.
I honestly don’t care about what the car looks like, I want to know the specs of the batteries.
"Me Love You Long Time"
And you play video games while driving
The Chinese are coming for TeslaHumper
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