- IM Motors makes steer-by-wire chassis and 800V architecture standard to push flagship tech into mass-market cars.
- New IM L6 launches with up to 850 km CLTC range, 500 kW AWD peak power, and 0–100 km/h in 2.74 seconds.
- NEXT 2028 is a sales rescue plan as IM Motors trails peers, selling ~43K YTD and relying on a few models.
On Aug. 21, SAIC-owned EV brand IM Motors unveiled its NEXT 2028 product strategy.
IM Motors aims to push technologies once reserved for flagship models into its broader lineup. Future models will center on three technology stacks: NEO tri-electric architecture, steer-by-wire chassis, and IM CLAW AI agent.
The NEO architecture covers electric drive, thermal management and electronic-control software. The new NEO Hurricane motor lifts CLTC combined efficiency by 2.8%, while cutting weight by 8%.
An 800V high-voltage platform will span the lineup; IM Motors says it can work with more than 90% of public chargers.
The chassis strategy puts steer-by-wire at the core, backed by triple safety redundancy. System response time can fall to 20 ms. The setup supports blowout stability control, active anti-rollover functions, and the hardware foundation for higher-level automated driving.
On the intelligence side, IM CLAW supports fuzzy-intent recognition and multi-agent task orchestration. The system moves beyond conventional voice assistants, aiming to handle more complex in-car requests. IM Motors is also upgrading its driver-assistance system to IM AD ZETA, with Momenta as a technology partner.
The first production model under NEXT 2028 is the all-new IM L6. The sedan opened pre-sales on Aug. 18 with five variants; pre-order benefit prices range from RMB 219.9K ($32.7K) to RMB 269.9K ($40.2K).
The new IM L6 makes steer-by-wire chassis technology and rear-wheel steering standard across the lineup. The RWD version has a 4.69-meter turning radius; the AWD version cuts it to 4.39 meters.
The powertrain uses an 800V high-voltage platform. Battery options include 76 kWh, 93 kWh and 103 kWh units supplied by CATL. CLTC range spans 725 km to 850 km. The range-topping vector AWD version delivers 500 kW of combined output, with a 0-100 km/h time of 2.74 seconds.
The tech push comes as IM Motors faces clear sales pressure. IM Motors retailed 5,900 vehicles in July. LS6 accounted for 3,352 units; L6 contributed 1,030. No other model topped 1,000 units during the month.
The broader trend is also weak. IM Motors sold about 43K vehicles from January through July 2026, averaging fewer than 7,000 units a month. The brand remains heavily reliant on a handful of models, led by LS6. Its sales scale still trails leading brands in China’s 200K-300K RMB ($29.8K-$44.6K) new-energy vehicle segment.
NEXT 2028 is therefore more than a technology roadmap. It is a product strategy aimed at rebuilding scale. By pushing flagship technologies down the lineup,
IM Motors wants to lower the price barrier for 800V systems, steer-by-wire chassis technology and AI agents. The goal is to create new product differentiation in the mainstream market.
The new-generation IM LS6 is due to make its debut in September. With the brand still relying heavily on LS6, the new model’s product strength could become a key variable for IM Motors’ next sales push.
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