On August 16, 2022, Li Xiang officially announced the existence of L8 during the Q2 earnings call for Li Auto, which was earlier than expected and will have a faster pace of delivery compared to L9.
After the conference call, Li Xiang replied to some questions from netizens on Weibo about L8 and X03, which indirectly confirmed that the release of these two cars is getting closer.
A Smaller L9
Based on the reply from Li Xiang in the following image, we can boldly speculate that L8 is likely to be the successor of ONE. Additionally, from the name L8, it is also likely to be a smaller version of L9.
Let’s take a look at the body parameters of Li Auto’s current models. The vehicle body parameters of Li ONE are 5,030 mm * 1,960 mm * 1,760 mm, with a wheelbase of 2,935 mm.
The body parameters of Li Auto L9 are 5,218 mm * 1,998 mm * 1,800 mm, with a wheelbase of 3,105 mm.
The length of Li Auto L8 is likely to be around 5,100 mm, which is between the two cars, making it a mid-size 6-seater SUV.
From the currently exposed spy shots of camouflage cars, as Li Auto’s second model on the X platform, L8 will continue the design style of L9, using the same design elements such as the through-type LED daytime running lights, roof-mounted laser radar and concealed door handles.
But there is a small difference, as the spy shots suggest that L8 may use a fixed pedal instead of the hidden electric pedal used on L9. However, considering the different positioning of the two cars, this design is reasonable.
In addition, due to the smaller body size, L8 places the rear license plate at the bottom of the rear, which is different from that of L9.
Interior wise, based on the existing spy shots, it can be seen clearly that L8’s front row adopts the same dual-screen design for the center console and the co-pilot seat as L9. We boldly speculate that L8 may be using most of the interior configurations from L9, only with some functions removed.
Powertrain and Suspension Configuration
Previously, it was reported that Ideal Auto and New Power established a joint venture to develop a new generation of range extenders for Ideal Auto, with an initial capacity planning of 200,000 units, including an estimated production capacity of 80,000 units in 2022.
So, will all of these 80,000 1.5T four-cylinder range extenders be used in L9? Judging from the fact that L9 is not yet being delivered, it seems that these 80,000 range extenders are unlikely to be used up. In other words, the remaining range extenders are very likely to be used in L8. In terms of batteries, L8 is also likely to use a 40-degree battery.
In addition, according to the spy photos of L8’s chassis exposed, it can be seen that L8 is also equipped with air suspension.
Autonomous Driving Capability
Li Xiang previously stated that starting from 2022, all of Ideal Auto’s new vehicles will be equipped with necessary hardware compatible with L4 level autonomous driving as standard.
From this sentence, it can be inferred that the Ideal L8 will have the advanced driving assistance capabilities such as high-speed NOA and urban NOA, just like the Ideal L9. The LiDAR on the spy photos also proves that L8’s autonomous driving capability is impressive.
However, it is uncertain whether L8 will continue to use the dual NVIDIA Orin-X chip like L9 for autonomous driving.
It is clear that L8 will definitely reduce some configurations compared to L9. The external configuration can eliminate power-operated doors and electric pedal, and the interior can eliminate the refrigerator, rear screen, but can the autonomous driving hardware also save some costs?As is known to all, the 2021 Ideal ONE first launched the Horizon Journey 3 chip. And the relationship between Ideal and Horizon has been very good. In the press conference of Horizon Journey 5 chip in July last year, Ideal’s founder Li Xiang also went to the scene and said, “At present, Ideal has reached a pre-research cooperation based on the Journey 5 chip, and will accelerate the process of higher-level autonomous driving. There is a possibility of further cooperation between the two sides.”
So, is it possible that L8 will be equipped with the Horizon Journey 5 chip? Personally, I think it’s highly possible.
The single computing power of the Horizon Journey 5 is 128 Tops. Although it is obviously lower than NVIDIA Orin-X, self-driving family NV once said that it will upgrade users to the double Horizon Journey 5 chips in Q3 2023 to achieve Urban NOA and Highway NOA. In other words, if L8 also uses the double Horizon Journey 5 chip scheme, it can also meet Li Xiang’s previous announcement that “new cars will be equipped with the necessary hardware compatible with L4 level autonomous driving as standard.”
Of course, it is not ruled out that Ideal will “conscientiously” install L8 with the same auxiliary driving hardware as L9.
When will it be released and what is the price?
Li Xiang himself said on Weibo that it is necessary to first complete the delivery and production capacity ramping up of L9. The current production capacity cannot support the delivery of two models with monthly deliveries exceeding 10,000. Previously, Ideal said that it could achieve a monthly delivery volume of over 10,000 for L9 in September. Taking Li Xiang’s telephone conference statement into account, we boldly speculate that L8 is likely to be released in October.
As for the price, Ideal has mentioned that its product combination is similar to Apple’s strategy. What is Apple’s strategy? It is to use the SE series to seize the low-end market, use the number series to occupy the mid-to-high-end market, and finally use Pro and Pro Max to meet the needs of two groups of high-end users (It is said that there will be no mini model in the iPhone 14).
The current starting price of the Ideal ONE is 349,800 yuan, while the starting price of the Ideal L9 is 459,800 yuan. Therefore, the price of the L8 can only be between these two models. It is speculated that the price range will likely be between 360,000 and 400,000 yuan, probably closer to the Ideal ONE’s price.
Final Words
The above predictions are based on the current exposure information of the Ideal L8, and there may be some discrepancies when it is officially released. What are your expectations and thoughts about the Ideal L8? Let’s discuss in the comments.
Overall, although the Ideal ONE had very strong product performance when it was first released, it is time for a major upgrade after two years. As one of the favourite owners of Ideal ONE in the company, I’m really looking forward to meeting the Ideal L8 soon.
Returning to the initial question, is the Ideal L8 a successor to the ONE or a direct replacement for the L9? I believe it is both. If Ideal can provide a set of configurations close to the L9’s on the L8 and offer an “irresistible price”, then the L8 will definitely become Ideal’s next hit product.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.