Gasgoo Munich- On October 29, IM Motors kicked off pre-sales for the LS8 NEO, the first full steer-by-wire, large five-seat flagship SUV under its NEXT·2028 strategy. Two trims—the 93 Max+ and 103 Max+—are available with a pre-sale price starting from 249,800 yuan. The official launch is set for November 5.
A standout moment of the event was the joint appearance of IM Motors and CATL. "The LS8 NEO comes standard across the lineup with CATL-customized, high-quality batteries," said Xu Yin, vice president of IM Motors. "By leveraging the quality assurance of two industry giants, we ensure consumers can buy with confidence."
Xu Yin, Vice President of IM Motors
Gao Huan, chief technology officer of CATL, noted: "In new energy vehicles, the battery is a focal point for both cost and safety. We and IM Motors share the philosophy that 'professional matters should be left to professionals,' allowing each side to leverage its strengths. With the LS8 NEO—whether in safety, low-temperature efficiency, or fast charging—we have achieved exceptional performance."
Gao Huan, CTO of CATL
The LS8 NEO offers two battery options: a 93 kWh golden high-efficiency unit and a 103 kWh single-crystal ultra-energy unit, delivering CLTC ranges of 684 km and 752 km, respectively. Paired with SAIC's latest NEO electrification architecture and a full-domain 800V high-voltage platform, the vehicle can add 529 km of range in just 15 minutes. Even at a 20% state of charge, it can unleash over 370 kW of peak power, while energy consumption is as low as 15.2 kWh per 100 km under CLTC conditions.
Beyond the rigorous battery selection, the new model comes standard with a full steer-by-wire Digital Chassis. It features an ultra-small turning radius of 4.85 meters and rear-wheel steering of up to 24 degrees in both directions. It also features full-domain physical AI powered by Momenta's world model, along with flagship amenities like 4D mechanical massage seats, B&O premium audio, and an intelligent refrigerator. Essentially, the vehicle brings features typically found in luxury cars down to the 250,000-yuan pure-electric segment, offering a comprehensive leap in class.
Following the pre-sale conference, IM Motors Vice President Xu Yin, IM Motors CTO Xiang Jiao, and CATL CTO Gao Huan participated in a group media interview. They discussed the logic behind the collaboration between two giants, battery technology adaptation, the strategy of standardizing steer-by-wire chassis, product cadence, and the outlook for next year's auto market. The following is an edited transcript of the conversation for industry reference.
From left to right: IM Motors CTO Xiang Jiao, IM Motors Vice President Xu Yin, CATL CTO Gao Huan
Q: Why did IM Motors choose to launch a pure electric version at this juncture?
Xu Yin: In April, we launched the LS8 extended-range variant equipped with our "Super Star" large battery. In the nearly six months since its debut, the vehicle has earned a solid market reputation and user acceptance. During the sales process, we received significant feedback from users asking if a pure electric version would be released. Driven by this direct market demand, we introduced the electric version to answer user calls while adapting to shifts in market structure. As everyone knows, the extended-range market has seen considerable volatility this year, while the pure electric market has experienced modest growth.
(Note: Data from the China Passenger Car Association shows that from January to September 2026, cumulative retail sales of domestic extended-range passenger vehicles stood at approximately 694,000 units. This represents a year-on-year decline of about 19%, indicating the extended-range market is undergoing structural adjustment. During the same period, retail sales of pure electric passenger vehicles fell by about 4.6% year-on-year, demonstrating stronger resilience against the backdrop of a 12.8% overall decline in new energy passenger vehicle retail sales.)
Q: R&D investment in batteries is massive, and there are constant calls within the industry for automakers to develop batteries in-house. Why does IM insist on deep collaboration with CATL instead of pursuing self-development?
Xiang Jiao: Our philosophy is clear: deliver the most solid and reliable experience to users. That's why we choose to "let professionals handle professional matters."
There are two layers to our decision to partner with CATL. First, from the user's perspective, the battery is the core component they care about most in a pure EV. We must rely on the quality of a major manufacturer to build confidence in safety. CATL has held the global market share lead for nine consecutive years, with cumulative shipments exceeding 10 billion cells used in approximately 30 million vehicles. Its defect rate is at the parts-per-billion (PPB) level, meaning single-digit defects appear only per billion cells. At the launch, we displayed a battery that had completed extreme road tests covering the Sichuan-Tibet line and Mohe—totaling 250,000 km. After disassembly, the capacity retention rate remained at 90%, and it passed all rigorous safety tests. That is the value of choosing a top-tier supplier.
Second, our collaboration with CATL aims to achieve a synergy where "one plus one is greater than two." Since 2017, we have jointly established two battery factories—SAIC CATL and CATL SAIC—to supply both battery packs and cells. CATL possesses top-tier battery chemistry systems and manufacturing processes. SAIC brings 70 years of automotive heritage, resulting in vehicle integration capabilities. These include full-domain thermal management, structural safety design, and energy efficiency management. A battery cannot truly deliver its value without system-level integration at the vehicle stage. Only with the joint endorsement of two giants in both R&D and quality can a good battery be transformed into a reliable mobility experience. As the saying goes: an individual can run fast, but a group can run farther.
Q: CATL collaborates with many automakers on adaptation. Specifically for the LS8 NEO, what targeted synergies were achieved in battery, thermal management, and efficiency?
Gao Huan: SAIC and CATL have a long history of cooperation, and both sides adhere to the principle of letting professionals do professional work. SAIC possesses 70 years of automotive craftsmanship, while CATL's batteries are installed in about 30 million vehicles. The massive amount of operational data forms the foundation of our shared experience.
The LS8 NEO offers two battery options. The first is the 93 kWh golden high-efficiency battery, which uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry focused on high cost-effectiveness. This time, we collaborated with the IM team to tackle the challenge, doubling the accuracy of State of Charge (SOC) estimation in low-temperature scenarios compared to industry standards. While the industry generally operates within a 5%–8% margin, we are confident in achieving 2%–3%. This ensures that the remaining range users see in low-battery or winter conditions is more accurate. It avoids the discrepancy where "the display says you can keep going, but you end up stranded."
The second is the 103 kWh single-crystal ultra-energy battery, which offers higher energy density. Since the LS8 NEO is equipped with zero-gravity seats, a luxury cabin, and high-level intelligent driving, the vehicle's curb weight is relatively high. A high-energy-density battery strikes a better balance between range and weight, while also allowing the Digital Chassis to fully realize its handling potential.
Regarding charging and discharging synergy, we iterated on algorithms based on the real-world driving conditions of families: power output is now smoother, eliminating sudden step-like surges. Energy recovery efficiency during braking and acceleration has also significantly improved. In terms of lifecycle management, we use FIC technology to reduce side reactions during storage and continuously optimize thermal management and energy consumption algorithms. It is worth mentioning that the car which completed the 250,000 km road test is still on our test bench—neither this car nor its battery is a "fast-tracked" product.
Q: Using CATL batteries often implies higher costs. How do you justify this "premium" to users?
Gao Huan: Mr. Xu frankly admitted at the launch that we are "a bit expensive." There are three reasons behind this.
First, the depth of R&D investment. To ensure high quality, safety, and longevity, CATL has invested over 100 billion yuan in R&D in recent years. This has secured the world's largest patent portfolio—over 60,000 patents—and that number is growing rapidly. This indicates that the battery industry is far from mature, and new technologies are continuously breaking through. As the penetration rate of new energy vehicles approaches 70%, the focus of industry competition must shift from an "explosion of energy density" to "certainty in safety and quality." We always treat every battery with the utmost caution, as if treading on thin ice, because the battery is a safety-critical component of the vehicle.
Second, the depth of joint development. Xiang and I have worked together for many years. As two CTOs, we often "debate behind closed doors" over a single performance metric or specification parameter. For instance, IM demanded we achieve 103 kWh while maintaining the same weight as the 93 kWh baseline. Or consider ultra-fast charging scenarios: the vehicle must reserve sufficient cooling space and cannot direct all power to the battery. This required reducing internal resistance by another 10%–20% on top of the original 0.3–0.4 milliohms. This is essentially a process of iterative trade-offs between performance, safety, lifespan, energy density, environmental adaptability, and cost.
Third, we return to the product itself. Every automaker has its own development path and business choices. But for the LS8 NEO—a large five-seat pure electric flagship at the 250,000-yuan level—the quality endorsement and supply chain certainty of two giants are compelling. They are reasons enough for users to pay for it.
Q: Steer-by-wire chassis is not cheap. Why insist on making it standard across the lineup? Beyond a smaller turning radius, what generational value does it bring?
Xiang Jiao: In the new energy era, evaluating a car goes beyond the "three-electric" system to the digital chassis. IM started with first-generation steer-by-wire on the LS9, and the technology now covers the LS8 extended-range version as well as the new L6 and LS6 models. A core pillar of the NEXT·2028 strategy is to democratize flagship technologies like steer-by-wire chassis, which were previously exclusive to luxury cars.
The larger the car, the more valuable the steer-by-wire chassis becomes. The LS8 is nearly 5 meters long, yet its turning radius is just 4.85 meters—achieving "large-car space with small-car agility." In terms of safety, triple redundancy combined with whole-vehicle coordinated control achieves autonomous safety redundancy. The aviation industry relied on a similar approach to improve safety rates by 90%.
Our confidence to make it standard across the lineup comes from full-stack in-house development. SAIC initiated forward research on steer-by-wire in 2018. Over 8 years, we completed more than 10,000 tests and validations, mastering the technology in a "white box" format. This broke the "black box" monopoly in the chassis field and allowed us to control costs within an acceptable range for users through our supply chain system. In terms of drive dynamics, IM uses the digital chassis to coordinate rear-wheel steering, braking, and driving force. This achieves a "super rear-drive experience" that offers the stability of four-wheel drive with the power of a rear-drive sports car. The new generation full steer-by-wire chassis further digitizes front-wheel steering, enabling four-wheel coordination. Chassis technology will continue to iterate and will not stop here.
Q: From batteries to intelligent driving, "safety" is becoming the focus of industry competition once again. How do you view this?
Xu Yin: Safety is a long-term game. Market research consistently shows that safety is the primary concern for car buyers, regardless of price. Whether buying a 100,000 yuan or 500,000 yuan vehicle, the user's baseline requirement for safety is consistent. SAIC began laying out steer-by-wire chassis technology in 2018 and has continued iterating it precisely out of reverence for safety.
Gao Huan: The battery industry is far from maturity. CATL continues to invest heavily in chemical systems, structural design, electronic and electrical architecture, and battery-swapping ecosystems. Our collaboration is open: IM shares its automotive manufacturing experience and user scenarios with us, while we open our process data and underlying logic to IM. Our goal is to ensure that not just one battery is good, but that the reliability is consistent across the hundreds of millions of cells that follow.
Q: IM has been launching products intensively recently. What is the strategy behind this? How do you forecast the automotive market for next year?
Xu Yin: Since unveiling the NEXT·2028 strategy at the Chengdu Auto Show, IM has successively launched three pure electric models—the L6, LS6, and LS8. The media has dubbed them the "668 Super Pure-Electric Family." These three vehicles share the same technological foundation: a full steer-by-wire chassis, segment-leading comfort features, and Momenta's physical AI world model. However, they target different demographics. The L6 is for young professionals entering the workforce who value driving dynamics. The LS6 is for young families. The LS8 serves large five-seat families with higher demands for space and luxury. Using one technology platform to cover multiple market segments is the core logic of this product cycle. In November, we will also announce a new product surprise.
My outlook for next year's market is this: The domestic auto market faced overall pressure from January to September this year, with retail sales declining by over 20% year-on-year. There may still be fluctuations in the first quarter of next year, but by the second half of next year or 2027, the market is expected to gradually stabilize.
Closing Thoughts:
The dialogue above sends two clear signals. First, amidst the wave of automakers developing batteries in-house, the deep synergy between a top automaker and a top battery manufacturer offers an alternative collaborative path for the industry. This is based on "professional division of labor." Second, safety, durability, and long-term thinking are replacing pure specification wars to become the new main line of competition in the pure electric market. As the saying goes, safety is a long-term pursuit: an individual can run fast, but a group can run farther. (Note: All images courtesy of IM Motors)
