IM Motors are the latest Chinese brand to abandon a fully electric lineup and introduce extended range EVs after similar moves by brands including Avatr, Leapmotor and Neta. The new EREV from IM Motors will launch next year and will be a new design benchmarked against the Li Auto L7.
As early as last year it was known that IM Motors would have an EREV as its fifth model. The current line up consists of the L6 and L7 sedans and LS6 and LS7 SUVs, all of which are fully electric.
Liu Tao, CEO of IM Motors in a media interview last year said “We believe that in the next three to five years, or even five to eight years, range extender products have their market potential.” At the same time, he mentioned the fifth product being an EREV.
Now according to 36Kr Auto the new car will be unveiled in the first quarter of 2025. Furthermore it is an SUV and judging from SAIC using the Li Auto L7 to benchmark the new car will likely compete against Li Auto products. An insider is reported as saying “The range extension project was approved in the second half of last year, and the first car will use SUV positioning to quickly harvest the market.”
The new car will use a modified version of SAIC’s E1 platform. According to Yicai Global the E1 platform is the platform covered in last year’s agreement between Audi and SAIC which the German company will use to co-develop EVs set to debut next year.
EREVs are the fastest growing segment in China’s NEV market. Sales in the past year reached 620,000 which was a year-on-year increase of 186%, the third consecutive year that the increase has been triple digits. In contrast, PHEVs experienced an 87% increase while fully electric cars only achieved 24%.
IM Motors was founded in 2020 as a joint venture between SAIC Motor, Alibaba Group, and Zhangjiang Hi-Tech. The first model was the L7 sedan which went on sale in 2022 and has since been followed by the LS7 and LS6 SUVs and this year by the L6 sedan.
The IM brand has not been a major success for SAIC with sales last year of 38,253 cars. Early indications suggest the brand is set to get a considerable boost from the new L6. Introducing EREVs to the product mix should help sales momentum.
Editor’s note:
It should be remembered that IM Motors are meant to be expanding overseas beginning this year. The new EREV could be one of the models exported in the future. So far there is no definitive word as to whether IM Motors will retain its name overseas or be rebranded under the MG badge.
Sources: Fast Technology, 36Kr Auto
