IM Motors launches new L6 with solid-state battery

The electric car brand IM Motors, which belongs to the Chinese automotive group SAIC, will equip its new L6 model with solid-state batteries. The EV will be available in China starting in May and will have a range of more than 1,000 kilometres - at least according to the Chinese CLTC standard. (Update at the end of the article)

Such CLTC ranges are sometimes also possible with conventional batteries with liquid electrolytes, but in the case of IM Motors, it will be an all-wheel drive version of the L6. The maximum range is often achieved in a version with only one motor and less power. As Liu Tao, Co-CEO of IM Motors, further announced, this battery can be charged very quickly using 900-volt technology. “Over 1,000 kilometres of range + quasi 900 V ultra-fast charging will completely solve the mileage anxiety of pure electric vehicles,” Liu wrote on Weibo.

In the Weibo post, Liu also stated that the battery uses patented technologies such as nanoscale solid-state electrolytes and already guarantees an extremely high level of safety at the cell level. Neither Liu Tao nor the company confirmed any further details or technical data.

According to Chinese media, the solid-state battery of the L6 will be capable of 130 kWh. It is likely to come from the joint venture with partner QingTao. The startup began building a plant for solid-state batteries in spring 2022 and announced opening a joint laboratory with SAIC in July 2022. The joint venture between SAIC and QingTao (sometimes also spelt ChingTao) was then agreed upon at the end of August 2023.

IM Motors is a joint brand of SAIC and the Chinese internet group Alibaba. The company started with the L7 saloon and later the LS7 electric SUV. The L6 was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show at the end of February. In China, the L6 will be exhibited for the first time at the Beijing Auto Show in April before its market launch in May.

The IM L6 is 4.93 metres long, 196 metres wide and 1.47 metres high. The wheelbase is 2.95 metres. There are currently two drive variants: a 250 kW rear-wheel drive version and an all-wheel drive version with 379 kW. At the premiere in Geneva, IM Motors announced two battery packs with 90 or 100 kWh, both of which utilise NMC cells from CATL. According to CLTC, the small battery will be capable of 720 kilometres with rear-wheel drive and 700 kilometres with all-wheel drive. In comparison, the 100 kWh pack is said to be capable of 770 and 750 kilometres, respectively.

Update 12 April 2024

The L6 has now been officially unveiled and will go on pre-sale at prices starting at 230,000 yuan (currently equivalent to just under 30,000 euros). However, the announced solid-state battery actually has a semi-solid-state chemistry with a semi-solid electrolyte. The new type of battery is also only available in the top version for 330,000 yuan – the equivalent of around 42,900 euros. It can be charged with up to 400 kW, which means that the car can recharge electricity for 400 kilometres (according to CLTC) in twelve minutes, according to IM Motors.

The top model is officially sold as the IM L6 Max Lightyear Edition, for which SAIC has now also confirmed the speculated 130 kWh energy content. The base model with 216 kW rear-wheel drive is known as the L6 Max Standard Edition, while the all-wheel drive model with a conventional battery is known as the L6 Max Performance Edition.

In addition to the Lightyear battery with semi-solid electrolyte, there is another special feature in the L6: the vehicle is capable of the so-called “crab walk,” meaning it can also drive slightly diagonally thanks to steerable rear wheels. The L6 is said to have passed the well-known moose test at 71 kph – and autonomously without a driver on board.

cnevpost.com, carnewschina.com, cnevpost.com, carnewschina.com (both update)