IM LS8 NEO brings steer-by-wire as standard from 239,800 CNY

IM Motors, the premium electric brand of SAIC Motor (SHA: 600104), launched the LS8 NEO battery-electric SUV in China on November 5, 2026, with launch equity prices of 239,800 and 259,800 CNY (c. $35,702 and $38,679) for the 93 Max+ and 103 Max+ versions. Those figures are each 10,000 CNY (c. $1,489) below the pre-sale equity prices IM had posted earlier.

The equity price already folds in a launch deposit deal: a 5,000 CNY (c. $744) deposit converts into a 15,000 CNY (c. $2,233) cash voucher. Orders locked between November 5 and December 13, with final payment by December 31, also unlock a package of limited-time upgrades that IM values at about 53,000 CNY (c. $7,891), including the driver's 4D mechanical massage seat, Bang & Olufsen audio, a color head-up display and a 12.3-liter dual-door fridge.

First non-commercial owners who buy in the launch window also get a lifetime battery-pack warranty and lifetime free use of IM Claw AI tokens, plus five years of the full IM AD assisted-driving feature set, which IM values at about 34,000 CNY (c. $5,062). Existing IM owners who trade in or add a car can get an extra 10,000 CNY cash cut.

The LS8 NEO is a large five-seat electric SUV with a full steer-by-wire chassis under IM's NEXT 2028 plan. It measures 5,085 mm long, 2,000 mm wide and 1,807 mm high on a 3,060 mm wheelbase. Its headline hardware is a full steer-by-wire Lizard chassis as standard on both versions, with no mechanical steering column between the wheel and the front wheels, plus brake-by-wire and bidirectional 24-degree rear-wheel steering.

IM quotes a system response time of 20 milliseconds and a minimum turning radius of 4.85 meters, which matters on a car this long in tight underground garages. Road feel becomes a software setting rather than a physical link, so differences between drive modes depend on calibration rather than a mechanical column.

The LS8 NEO brings a full steer-by-wire chassis to the mid-200,000 CNY class as standard (IM Motors)

Both versions use a single rear motor of up to 300 kW and 500 Nm, with no all-wheel-drive option at launch. The 93 kWh CATL pack is rated at 684 km (425 miles) of CLTC range; the 103 kWh pack reaches 752 km (467 miles). The SUV sits on an 800-volt architecture, and IM quotes combined consumption of 15.2 kWh per 100 km. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is listed at 6.7 seconds for the 93 kWh car and 6.6 seconds for the 103 kWh car.

Driver assistance runs Momenta's physical AI world model. A 520-line long-range LiDAR with about 300 meters of effective range and an NVIDIA Thor chip are listed as options rather than standard equipment, so the base hardware stack can stop short of the LiDAR-and-Thor package that higher SAIC and IM models have marketed as standard.

The cabin carries a 27.1-inch 5K main display, a 15.6-inch front-passenger screen and a 21.5-inch 4K roof screen for the second row, plus IMLink phone mirroring. Bang & Olufsen audio is part of the launch upgrade package. Second-row seats use natural latex cushions with electric recline, fold-out tables and extendable leg rests, and the front passenger seat can fold to open a lounge layout on the right side of the cabin.

The cargo bay is pitched as holding six 28-inch suitcases, with room to lay a golf bag across without folding a stroller or camping cart. IM counts nine storage spots, including a 9.2-liter drawer under the second row.

IM Motors is a joint venture of SAIC, Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA) and Zhangjiang Hi-Tech (SHA: 600895). The brand has lagged China's better-known startups on monthly volume, and the LS8 NEO follows the larger LS9 flagship and the next-generation LS6 in a push to put more expensive chassis and cabin tech into volume SUVs.

Putting steer-by-wire on every LS8 NEO, rather than locking it behind a top trim, is the clearest product bet. The open question is whether Chinese buyers will keep paying for the software-defined steering feel once the launch vouchers and free upgrade package expire.

Conversion rate: 1 USD = 6.7168 CNY as of November 6, 2026 (PBOC central parity).