2026 IM LS8 NEO: Up to 752 km, Steer-by-Wire SUV From $35,970

The IM LS8 NEO is the all-electric version of IM Motors' large five-seat flagship SUV, with a single 300 kW rear motor and an 800 V platform. It went on sale in China on 5 November 2026 at CNY 239,800 (~$35,970) for the 93 Max+ and CNY 259,800 (~$38,970) for the 103 Max+. IM says it is due in Europe in 2027.

Key facts

• Price (launch, with IM's launch offer): CNY 239,800 (~$35,970) for the 93 Max+ and CNY 259,800 (~$38,970) for the 103 Max+; the six-seat layout costs CNY 20,000 (~$3,000) more.
• Power: one rear motor, 300 kW (408 PS / 402 hp) and 500 Nm, rear-wheel drive.
• Range (CLTC): 684 km with the 93 kWh LFP pack, 752 km with the 103 kWh ternary pack.
• Charging: 800 V, up to 396 kW (reported for the 103 Max+), and IM claims 529 km added in 15 minutes.
• Size: 5,085 mm long, 3,060 mm wheelbase, 168 L front trunk, boot fits 15 20-inch suitcases with five on board.
• Catch: rear-wheel drive only, the 0-100 km/h times are reported rather than official, and Europe has no price or date beyond "2027".

Performance & Specs

Both versions use the same NEO "Hurricane" rear motor, rated at 300 kW (408 PS / 402 hp) and 500 Nm. Chinese reports give 0-100 km/h in 6.7 s for the 93 Max+ and 6.6 s for the 103 Max+, figures that are not in IM's launch statement. Otherwise the two trims differ only in battery, range and price.

The car has a fully steer-by-wire chassis as standard: there is no mechanical link between the steering wheel and the front wheels, and IM cites three layers of safety redundancy. Rear wheels steer up to 24 degrees each way, giving a 4.85 m turning radius on a 3.06 m wheelbase. Air suspension with electronically controlled dampers is fitted, and wheels come in 20, 21 and 22 inches.

Powertrain	Single-motor RWD BEV
Power	300 kW (402 hp)
Torque	500 Nm
0–100 km/h	6.7 s / 6.6 s (reported)
Battery	93 kWh LFP / 103 kWh ternary
Range	684 km / 752 km (CLTC)

POWERTRAIN TYPE	BEV, single rear motor
HORSEPOWER	300 kW (408 PS / 402 hp)
TORQUE	500 Nm
ACCELERATION	0-100 km/h 6.7 s (93 Max+) / 6.6 s (103 Max+), reported
DRIVETRAIN	RWD
BATTERY	93 kWh LFP / 103 kWh ternary (CATL)
ELECTRIC RANGE	684 km / 752 km (CLTC)

Dimensions & Practicality

Length	5,085 mm
Width	2,000 mm
Height	1,807 mm
Wheelbase	3,060 mm

The NEO is a five-seater, and IM offers a six-seat layout for CNY 20,000 (~$3,000) more, with second-row captain's chairs and a 21.5-inch rear screen. Chinese reports say the boot fits 15 20-inch suitcases with all five seats in use, and the car has a 168 L front trunk, which the range-extender LS8 does not have. A boot volume in litres is not confirmed.

LENGTH	5,085 mm
WIDTH	2,000 mm
HEIGHT	1,807 mm
WHEELBASE	3,060 mm
FRUNK	168 L

Charging & Battery

The 93 Max+ carries a 93 kWh lithium iron phosphate pack for 684 km, and the 103 Max+ a 103 kWh single-crystal ternary pack for 752 km, both on the CLTC cycle. Chinese reports quote a peak DC rate of 396 kW for the 103 Max+, and IM says the 800 V system adds 529 km in 15 minutes and works with more than 90% of public chargers. IM's launch figures do not include a 10-80% time or the test conditions for the 529 km claim.

BATTERY	93 kWh LFP / 103 kWh ternary (CATL)
DC FAST CHARGING	Up to 396 kW (reported, 103 Max+)
DC RANGE ADDED	529 km in 15 min (IM claim)

Design & Interior

The LS8 NEO shares the boxy look of the LS8 range, with a full-width light bar and a black roof. Inside, the second row has natural-latex cushions, and launch buyers get Bang & Olufsen audio, a head-up display, a 4D massage backrest for the driver and a 12.3 L fridge as free upgrades. The central screen is 27.1 inches, with a 15.6-inch screen for the front passenger.

Technology & Features

The IM AD driver-assistance system (called IM AD ZETA on IM's site), developed with Momenta, runs on an NVIDIA Thor chip with 700 TOPS, uses the roof LiDAR and 11 cameras, and handles highway and urban navigation assistance plus parking. The IM Claw assistant is built on Alibaba's Qwen model.

Safety & ADAS

IM describes the system as Level 2 assistance with an end-to-end model, so the driver stays responsible. IM says the steer-by-wire chassis passed more than 10,000 tests.

ADAS LEVEL	L2 (IM AD ZETA with Momenta)
ADAS FEATURES	520-line LiDAR, 11 cameras, NVIDIA Thor 700 TOPS, highway and urban NOA, automated parking

Available Versions

VERSION	POWER	TORQUE	0-100	TOP SPEED	DRIVETRAIN	BATTERY	EV RANGE	COMBINED RANGE	PRICE	KEY DIFFERENCES
93 Max+	402 hp	500 Nm	6.7 s	—	RWD	93 kWh	684 km	—	CNY 239,800 (~$35,970)	LFP battery, shorter range
103 Max+	402 hp	500 Nm	6.6 s	—	RWD	103 kWh	752 km	—	CNY 259,800 (~$38,970)	Ternary battery, longest range

Pricing & Availability

Both prices are launch prices that include IM's offer in which a CNY 5,000 deposit counts as CNY 15,000 off, for orders placed by 13 December 2026; IM has not published a separate guide price. First private owners also get a lifetime battery warranty and five years of IM AD driver assistance at no cost, and the optional six-seat layout costs CNY 20,000 (~$3,000) extra.

The NEO sits alongside the range-extender LS8, which launched in China in April 2026 from CNY 249,800, so the electric version now starts CNY 10,000 lower. IM says the NEO will go on sale in Europe in 2027, and it showed its driver assistance handling complex traffic at the 2026 Paris Motor Show. IM has not named countries, prices or a homologation date.

How It Compares

Against our ONVO L90, the LS8 NEO's entry car costs about $2,900 less, while the L90 has 54 hp more; the 103 Max+ adds a 752 km CLTC rating against the L90's 600 km. The NIO ES8 has far more power at 707 hp, but its $43,000 price assumes renting the battery. The Leapmotor D19 is a six-seat range-extender with 536 hp that costs about $3,800 less than the 93 Max+, though the entry car is not a pure EV.