IM Motors, a division of SAIC (parent of MG) has been creating waves in the automotive industry with the much-awaited IM L6 sedan. It attracted a lot of attention at this year’s Geneva Motor Show and then gained fame for passing the unmanned moose test at 71 km/h. Preorders have now started in China as the company has unveiled a new 130 kWh solid-state battery for the L6 with a 1,000 km CLTC range, signifying the advancement of battery capacity for electric vehicles.
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The IM L6 is offered in three variants —Standard Max: pre-sale price below 230,000 yuan ($31,800), High-performance: pre-sale price below 299,900 yuan ($41,480), and Lightyear Max (equipped with a solid-state battery): priced at 330,000 yuan ($45,640).
During the launch event, IM announced that the 900V solid-state battery (named “Lightyear”) at 400 kilowatts, can add 400 km of range in just 12 minutes. IM also claims the CLTC range will be more than 1,000 km. According to the information, the battery is semi-solid, meaning that some solid substances are present in the fluid that carries the energy. IM Motors claims its 130 kWh Lightyear solid-state battery is the industry’s first mass-produced semi-solid-state battery with ultra-fast charging capabilities. Other variants feature two NMC battery choices with standard liquid electrolytes, 90 kWh and 100 kWh, providing a CLTC range of 700 to 770 km.
IM L6 is equipped with Nvidia Orin X, Qualcomm 8295, and LiDAR. It introduces innovative features such as multi-angle Carlog (using built-in cameras for in-car Vlog recording) and City Drive (providing local content on the car display). The car also features intelligent driving functions. Furthermore, the vehicle is equipped with DZT dynamic tracking technology (identifying dangerous objects using a 360° camera). Its city NOA driving assistant is set to launch nationwide within this year. The new car also offers an “Apple ecosystem plugin,” to mirror images from iPhones.
The L6 also features the first-generation VMC (Vehicle Motion Control) smart digital chassis technology, equipped with rear-wheel steering, intelligent electronic damping, air suspension, and more. This technology allows for unique maneuvers like “crab walking” used during tight corners, and advanced parallel parking.
Related: SAIC Impresses with the IM L6 Driverless Moose Test
IM L6 comes equipped with a self-developed “Hurricane motor” with a maximum speed of 21,000 rpm. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.74 seconds. There are 3 options for the single-motor models, 216 kW, 248 kW, and 300 kW. The dual-motor four-wheel-drive model gets a 200 kW motor at the front and 379 kW mounted at the rear axle. It can hit a maximum speed of 268 km/h.
Source: CarNewsChina
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com