IM LS8

Overview

The IM LS8 is a mid-to-large intelligent range-extender SUV (REEV) launched by IM Motors on 16 April 2026, officially positioned as an "epoch-making tech flagship SUV". Making its official debut at the 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, the model targets the mainstream premium RM250,000 segment with a product philosophy of "flagship-spec as standard, fully loaded from the base". Its body dimensions measure 5,085 × 2,000 × 1,807 mm with a 3,060 mm wheelbase, offering both spacious five-seater and six-seater layouts to cater to family and executive needs. The 2026 line-up comprises 4 variants with official guide prices ranging from RM261,800 to RM311,800, alongside limited-time introductory offers starting from RM249,800.

Design Language

The IM LS8 carries forward IM Motors' signature family design language. The front fascia features a closed-off grille with active shutter functionality, paired with a full-width integrated light strip and "7"-shaped LED headlights on both flanks, equipped with the Falcon Smart Lighting 2.0 system that offers active tracking and hazard warning capabilities alongside cornering illumination on slip roads and tight bends. The front bumper incorporates a trapezoidal lower air intake, complemented by a roof-mounted LiDAR unit upfront.

In profile, the SUV sports clean, horizontal character lines with a yacht-inspired floating roof design, paired with flush pop-out door handles and large multi-spoke alloy wheels. The rear adopts a full-width tail light cluster, with the central section supporting interactive programmable light messaging. Five exterior colour options are offered: Olympus Black, Pamir Grey, Qogir Silver, Alps White, and Bled Green.

Inside, the LS8 features a wraparound cockpit design. The dashboard is headlined by a 27.1-inch 5K ultra-vivid cockpit display (integrating digital instrument cluster and infotainment functions), alongside a dedicated 15.6-inch 3K front passenger entertainment screen. The cabin is upholstered in IM Nappa DELUXE bespoke top-grain leather paired with a finely spun silk-suede headliner. Three interior colour themes are available: Elephant Grey-Brown, Elephant Grey-Beige, and Elephant Grey-Black.

Powertrain & Performance

The entire IM LS8 range is powered by the Stellar Super Range-Extender System. Serving as the range extender is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing a maximum power output of 114 kW. It is offered in single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) and dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) configurations: the single-motor version delivers 230 kW and 430 Nm of torque, while the dual-motor version puts out a combined 390 kW and 670 Nm. The 0–100 km/h acceleration sprint takes just in the 4-second range.

Battery options include a 52 kWh Hangdun battery and a 66 kWh Super Xiaoyao MAX battery. The pure EV range is rated at up to 430 km on the CLTC cycle; with a full tank and full charge, the combined CLTC range reaches a massive 1,605 km, while running purely on petrol yields nearly 1,000 km of range. Built on an 800V high-voltage architecture, a 30% to 80% state-of-charge (SoC) top-up takes just 12 minutes. Fuel consumption under depleted battery conditions is rated at just 5.9 L/100 km.

Chassis & Handling

Underneath, the LS8 rides on front double-wishbone and rear multi-link independent suspension. Standard across the range is the Lizard Digital Chassis 3.0, featuring intelligent closed-loop air suspension and continuous damping control (CDC) shock absorbers.

The LS8 comes standard across the line-up with a bidirectional 24° intelligent active rear-wheel steering system and debuts an all-steer-by-wire four-wheel steering system. This grants the 5-metre-plus SUV an impressively tight turning radius of just 4.85 metres. The steering ratio varies dynamically across a wide spectrum from 4.5:1 to 14.2:1. Braking duties are handled by a Continental brake-by-wire system.

Cockpit & Features

The intelligent cockpit is driven by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P chipset running the IM AIOS operating system, deeply integrated with generative AI foundation models. It marks the debut of the IM Ultra Agent interactive interface powered by Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen large language model, seamlessly tied into the wider Alibaba digital ecosystem.

On the comfort front, the front passenger seat comes standard as a zero-gravity seat with integrated heating, ventilation, and pneumatic massage functions. Five-seater models feature a second row fitted with 132-degree reclining lounge seats, while six-seater models gain twin individual second-row captain chairs with mechanical massage. Rear occupants enjoy a 21.5-inch 4K ceiling-mounted fold-down entertainment screen. The cabin is equipped with a 25-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium sound system with 7.1.4-channel surround sound and a peak output of 3,472 W. Other amenities include a 12.3-litre dual-opening hot & cold refrigerator (capable of maintaining temperature for 48 hours after vehicle switch-off) and a graphene smart underfloor heating system.

Safety & Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

Intelligent driving is one of the LS8's standout highlights. The vehicle is fitted with an ultra-long-range 520-line LiDAR, delivering an equivalent point cloud density of 1,040 lines in focused gaze zones and a maximum effective detection range of 300 metres. Processing power is supplied by an NVIDIA DRIVE Thor chip paired with 64 GB of high-speed LPDDR5X memory, delivering a bandwidth of up to 273 GB/s. The driver assistance suite offers Level 3-grade perception capability and Level 4 algorithmic architecture. Powered by Momenta, the IM AD system provides seamless nationwide usability and reliability on autopilot, with an upgrade path to the Level 4-oriented IM AD ZETA system in the pipeline.

Structural safety is reinforced by a submarine-grade cage body with ten longitudinal and eleven transverse structural beams alongside the IM Fusion Nova full-domain integrated architecture. Standard active safety equipment includes full-domain digital blind-spot vision compensation, Rainy Night Mode 2.0, all-scenario Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Active Anti-Rollover 3.0, and Tyre Blowout Stability Control 2.0. The Blowout Stability Control 2.0 system integrates four-wheel steering and brake-by-wire to react in a mere 40 ms.

Market Performance & Reception

The IM LS8 was met with an enthusiastic market reception upon launch, securing over 8,000 firm bookings within the first 60 minutes; customer deliveries exceeded 1,000 units within five days of commencement; and in its first full week of deliveries, it topped segment sales charts across more than 40 major cities nationwide. In April 2026, IM Motors achieved total brand sales of 10,016 units, representing a 130% year-on-year increase for the January–April period.

In its segment, the LS8 goes head-to-head with rivals such as the Li Auto L7 and AITO M7. Its primary competitive edge lies in its 1,605 km total combined range, 800V ultra-fast charging (12 minutes from 30% to 80% SoC), ultra-tight 4.85-metre turning radius, and high-level ADAS driven by 520-line LiDAR + NVIDIA Thor, alongside class-transcending standard air suspension and active rear-wheel steering in the RM250,000 bracket. Serving as IM Motors' flagship model for upscale international expansion, the LS8 sets a distinct technological benchmark in the RM250,000 mid-to-large REEV SUV market through its "flagship from the base" packaging strategy.