The IM LS6 was launched on September 10th with competitive pricing, achieving over 10,000 orders in 27 minutes.
The new generation of IM LS6 was officially launched on the evening of September 10th, and its final pricing is truly “in the style of IM” – highly competitive and appealing.
The all-new IM LS6 offers two powertrain options: pure electric and “Stellar” super extended-range. After factoring in incentives, the pure electric version starts at RMB 197,900($27,800), while the extended-range variant is priced at RMB 202,900($28,568), staying close to the RMB 200,000 price bracket.
As a mid-to-large SUV with a length of nearly 5 meters (4,937mm) and a wheelbase of 2,960mm, coupled with a series of eye-catching configurations and a sincere pricing strategy, the LS6 has achieved a “opening success” smoothly.
During the group interview, Li Weimeng, CMO of IM, suddenly received news that the number of orders for the new generation LS6 exceeded 10,000 within just 27 minutes of its launch.
Interestingly, after the press conference, Wang Xiaoqiu, Chairman of SAIC Motor Group, stated excitedly in an interview, “I believe the new generation IM LS6 will definitely become a blockbuster.” This order performance seems to confirm that the LS6 already has the potential to be a “blockbuster” model.
Looking back at the entire group interview, discussions between the media and IM’s management – including CMO Li Weimeng, CTO Xiang Jiao, and Senior Director of Brand and User Jiao Qiao – all centered around the question: “Can the IM LS6 be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful?”
“Top-Tier Technology”
When talking about whether the all-new LS6 “can sell well,” Li Weimeng was full of confidence. One important reason is her belief that the LS6 boasts outstanding product strength.
“For the new generation LS6, whether it’s the pure electric version or the extended-range version, we have brought our best technology and shown our greatest sincerity,” she said.
Li Weimeng took the battery and range as an example: the pure electric version of the LS6 is equipped with a maximum 103kWh battery pack, delivering a range of 803km; the extended-range version has a maximum battery capacity of 66kWh, with an all-electric range of 450km.
She emphasized that such battery capacity and range performance are “almost unrivaled” in the RMB 230,000 price segment, and she also welcomed comparisons from the market.
In addition, Li Weimeng refuted the occasional view that “IM’s pure electric technology is not outstanding.” She argued that features such as the 875V high-voltage platform, the ability to replenish 500km of range in 15 minutes, and the application of such technologies in a model priced around RMB 200,000 are sufficient proof that IM has strong competitiveness in the pure electric field.
Sales volume is another indirect piece of evidence. “The previously launched LS6 and L6 have consistently ranked among the top 3 in sales in the pure electric mid-to-large SUV and sedan categories in the RMB 200,000 price range,” Li Weimeng noted. Based on this, she believes that the claim that “IM’s pure electric technology is inadequate” is unfounded.
Another question concerned the “super extended-range” powertrain variant: the market has noticed that IM has partnered with different battery suppliers and offers two battery capacity options – 52kWh and 66kWh.
Can consistent user experience be guaranteed with batteries from different suppliers and of different capacities? And can R&D efficiency be maintained?
Xiang Jiao, CTO of IM Automobile, gave an affirmative answer. He pointed out that the “technological value” of the all-new IM LS6 is not only reflected in the performance of its power battery but also in the high efficiency and low noise of the range extender, as well as the consistent experience delivered by the entire system.
He stated that IM has developed different matching strategies for power batteries from different suppliers and with different capacities.
The R&D team is well aware that the discharge capacity of batteries varies significantly under different charge levels, even at different States of Charge (SOC). Therefore, it is essential to ensure that all systems can maintain high-power discharge even at low charge levels – “consistent performance even when the battery is low” is a key selling point of IM’s “Stellar” super extended-range system.
Other “technological strengths” are also evident in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and cockpit intelligence. Xiang Jiao repeatedly emphasized that the ADAS developed by IM in collaboration with Momenta – whether the vision-based solution or the lidar-equipped solution – is a “full-performance version”; features such as AI Agent and AES will also be available for over-the-air (OTA) updates to older models in the future.
Backed by such “technological strength” and “competitive pricing,” IM’s expectation for the new generation LS6 is straightforward: to be “both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.”
“Critically Acclaimed and Commercially Successful”
Orders are one of the most important early indicators of a new car’s sales performance. However, recently, the automotive industry has seen a wave of skepticism regarding various types of “pre-orders” and “firm orders.”
When discussing this topic, Li Weimeng stressed that IM’s order data is completely authentic, and the offline situation is even more convincing.
Jiao Qiao added that at that moment (around 9:30 p.m. on September 10th), IM stores across the country were bustling with activity, and many users were lining up to lock in their orders.
Expanding on this topic, Li Weimeng talked about IM’s measures to ensure delivery.
From a broader perspective, although the order volume of the IM LS6 this time is significantly higher than previous models, it is still within the expectations of the IM team. For this reason, preparations have been made in terms of channel network layout, expansion of sales staff, pre-launch training, and vehicle resource allocation.
In terms of critical links such as supply chain and production capacity, IM, after all, is backed by SAIC Motor Group. “The entire supply chain system is operating efficiently,” Li Weimeng revealed. The processes of receiving pre-orders and delivering vehicles after launch are progressing in an orderly manner. Considering factors such as the potential policy withdrawal next year, IM also aims to deliver vehicles to users as soon as possible in the third and fourth quarters.
When asked about the annual sales target, Li Weimeng said it is challenging but achievable.
According to her observation, the third and fourth quarters (Q3, Q4) of each year are peak periods for sales, and IM also plans to seize this market opportunity. In addition to the new generation LS6, the LS9, which will be launched at the end of the year, is also highly anticipated. Currently, IM’s sales progress is in line with the rhythm predicted at the beginning of the year, and Li Weimeng is confident of good news by the end of the year.
Ultimately, Li Weimeng remains convinced that IM’s “Stellar” super extended-range system has sufficient competitiveness.
As Xiang Jiao put it, IM’s extended-range system is not something that competitors can match simply by “equipping a large battery.”
Overall, the all-new IM LS6’s advantages also include consistent power performance (whether fully charged or low on charge), quietness, and smoothness. In other words, the engine and AI algorithms developed by IM (and SAIC) are the key differentiators.
“For IM, the [Stellar Super Extended-Range System] will definitely open a new chapter, and we hope IM will achieve both critical acclaim and commercial success in the future,” Li Weimeng said.
(End)
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