Ideal ONE, as a product from 0 to 1, has delivered over 200,000 cars in a sales cycle of more than 30 months. As a range-extended medium and large SUV, Ideal ONE has won numerous sales crowns in the subdivided market of the passenger car market in China. On June 21, 2022, Ideal released the full-size SUV, Ideal L9, positioned as a flagship level. With this, Ideal switched from a single product strategy to a product line strategy.
The first step is to set up the benchmark of L9, which is positioned similar to the Pro Max in the iPhone. The next step is to upgrade Ideal ONE, which is the latest released Ideal L8, whose positioning is similar to the iPhone Pro series, with the same hardware but slightly smaller in size. If you are interested in the positioning of Ideal L8 in their own products, you can read the article: An 8,000-word Analysis of Ideal L8: Isn’t This the Small L9?
Ideal L9, at the beginning of its release, could be regarded as the best SUV under 5 million yuan. As a medium and large SUV with a slightly smaller size but still 6 seats, L8 not only needs to continue ONE’s mission, but also confronts the mid-and-large SUVs from NIO and XPENG head-on. At the same time, whether it can reach the million-level products of BBA or not has become a new challenge for L8.
Therefore, in order to test the strength of Ideal L8, which can be powered by gasoline and electricity, we have invited two strong competitors, XPENG G9 and NIO ES7, in the pure electric group. In the fuel group, we did not limit our imagination and invited Mercedes-Benz GLE 53 AMG and BMW X7 xDrive 40i, which are the rivals of L9. Faced with pure gasoline, pure electric, large five seats and six seats, we will show you from the three aspects of appearance, cockpit, and space how the 399,800 yuan Ideal L8 Max uses its strength and cost-effectiveness to win all.
Appearance: L9 in a smaller size
As the ideal L9 in smaller size, L8 is almost identical to L9 in appearance design, and from the front and 45-degree side angle views, it is hard to tell whether the car in front of you is an L8 or an L9. Therefore, L8 also has a familiar enclosed front-end design with an extra-long daytime running light strip.
In terms of body size, as a mid-to-large-size SUV like ONE, the length, width, and height of L8 are 5,080 x 1,995 x 1,800 mm, with a wheelbase of 3,005 mm. Compared to the entire mainstream mid-to-large-size SUV market, the length and height of the ideal L8 are relatively large, 168 mm longer than NIO ES7 and 189 mm longer than G9, but shorter than the full-size X7 by only 83 mm. In terms of visual effects and presence, L8, G9 and ES7 look more futuristic, slightly less domineering than GLE and X7, and even a bit cute.
From the side, the slightly shorter body of the ideal L8 than L9 gives it a more coordinated proportion and a very compact muscular impression, while also creating a very homely feeling. Each car has its own unique style in terms of side lines.
NIO ES7 gives a feeling of a sports athlete at first glance, while the XPENG G9 has more smooth curves, with a posture of an SUV after lowering the air suspension to the lowest level. Mercedes-Benz GLE inherits the very iconic C-pillar design from the ML, elegant and powerful; BMW X7 has a large number of straight lines and edges on its body, with lines gradually rising from the front, presenting a diving posture. The advantage of this design is that X7 will not look like a full-size SUV with a length of over 5.1 meters.On the wheelbase, as the only 6-seater mid-to-large SUV, the Ideal L8 boasts the best figure across the board with a wheelbase of 3,005mm, which is 45mm longer than that of the ES7, but slightly shorter than the G9 and GLE. To match the 3,105mm wheelbase of the X7, you still need to turn to the big brother L9.
Moving to the rear of the car, we can finally spot a difference between the L8 and the L9. The license plate frame of the L8 is placed under the vehicle bumper, which is a fast way to identify the L8 and L9.
However, it is relatively rare for a mid-to-large SUV to place the license plate frame on the rear bumper. Generally, placing the license plate frame on the tailgate of the trunk can balance the visual center of gravity of the rear end, making the rear of the car appear fuller and more layered. The ES7, G9, GLE, and X7 from NIO, XPeng, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW all follow this design.
For small two-door cars like the Golf and the rear-wheel-drive BMW 1 Series, the license plate is usually placed on the bumper because their body height and width are originally narrow and low, respectively, and placing the license plate on the tailgate would make it look particularly crowded. Therefore, this design on the Ideal L8, which is originally large and has slender taillights, makes the rear look particularly sturdy.
On the design of the taillights, the three new forces all choose a continuous taillight style. Mercedes-Benz and BMW still use separate taillights, and the width of the car is highlighted by a chrome decoration strip in the middle.
In terms of wheel configuration, the Ideal L8 we took pictures of is equipped with 21-inch wheels, which is the same as that of the Ideal L9, with two color options: silver-grey and black-grey. The tires fitted are 265/45 R21 Michelin PS4 SUV special tires, which cost about 2,500 yuan per tire.When shooting the hub, I discovered an intentional design point of LI L8. The inner surface of L8’s wheel arch is not made of resin or fiberglass material we typically see. It is lined with a plush-like material and an additional pattern is designed inside. It is expected that such a design will greatly improve the dynamic NVH of the vehicle.
On the car door, LI L8 uses the same hidden door handle as L9. In the unlocked state of the vehicle, the door handle will always be in the popped-out state. This setting can prevent older people and children at home from being unable to use the hidden door handles and avoid hand injuries caused by the automatic contraction and extension of the door handles in the unlock state.
However, the door opening mechanism is still a physical structure, and you need to perform the pulling action. Among these five cars, the “one-touch” door handle of NIO ES7 impressed me the most. I don’t need to deliberately pull the door handle. My fingers naturally touch the inner side of the handle, and the door immediately pops open.
At the same time, in terms of door configuration, the LI L8 has a standard electric suction door. Except for the Mercedes-Benz GLE, these competing products are all equipped with electric suction doors. Despite the small size of the car door, there are still some differences in user experience.
When LI L8 closes the door with force, there will be a sound of the plastic decorative panel and the body sound insulation strip colliding. This does not mean that the sound of closing the door is not pleasant, but when the door is closed, this muffled sound will thunder into your ears, and the sound is indeed not small.
At this time, the electric suction door can be used to a certain extent to elegantly compensate for this. In addition, the motor noise of LI L8’s electric suction door is also very small. If you don’t deliberately listen, the suction action is difficult to notice.
Although XPeng G9 is also equipped with electric suction doors, perhaps due to our experience with the trial vehicle, the door hinge is too tight, so the door will be forced to pop back after passing the hinge, and the electric suction process will not be triggered.Generally speaking, the five car models all have their own characteristics in appearance. The GLE and X7, which belong to the fuel group, still inherit the family-style design. In order to cool the two large V6 engines under the hood, they both have huge air intakes and use a waterfall-style design, making them look very solemn. Overall, their appearance is more favored by people who need to attend specific occasions and have certain status.
The pure electric group, ES7 from NIO and G9 from XPeng, also inherit their own design language. The enclosed front face design makes them look more futuristic, so the appearance of these two cars is more inclined to younger people. The L8 from LI that comes with range extender also chooses an exterior style that embraces new energy. The large air intake grille on the Ideal ONE is gone, and the closed front face has no exaggerated decorations, making the L8’s appearance a design suitable for all ages.
Simple can be luxurious
Comparison of the cabins
The first time I sat in the LI L8’s interior, I was amazed that the LI L8’s interior level was almost on par with the L9’s, with no complex lines, no solid wood or metal trim to show luxury. The car is wrapped in a large amount of leather, so visually, it looks like Muji style. So, whether you like this interior design or not is entirely subjective. Let’s take a look at how the minimalist luxury of the LI L8 compares to other medium to large-sized SUVs.
Without additional adornments, the focus of the LI L8’s interior is on the two 15.7-inch central touchscreens with a resolution of 3K (resolution: 2,880 x 1,620, 16:9, 60 Hz refresh rate, LCD material). The model we experienced this time is the top-of-the-line version, the LI L8 Max, so the cabin configuration also reaches the SS Max level.
The five-screen 3D space of the vehicle (including interactive screen, HUD, central control and co-pilot screen, and rear entertainment screen) is driven by two Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chips (with 24G RAM and 256G storage). In actual sliding and clicking actions, the Ideal L8 can provide very fast and responsive performance. Especially compared to the Mercedes-Benz GLE and BMW X7, the smoothness of the interface and the learning cost are very low, which is worthy of praise here.
In the new energy vehicle market, each company has its own unique features. In addition to G9’s dual screens like the Ideal L8, the 5D Xopera music hall in G9 can vibrate the seats with music, while controlling air conditioning and fragrance to match the rhythm of the music and movies, which is one dimension more than the 4D of the Ideal L8. At the same time, it can support the “Little P” voice assistant that can be used by four people at the same time, which also brings the on-board voice assistant to a new height. NOMI interaction on the NIO ES7 is also one of the selling points in the NIO cabin.
In addition to the cabin configuration, the audio system is also a key focus for all companies. The minimum number of speakers is 20, and the highest can reach 28 speaker units.
Among them, the 28 speakers on the XPeng G9, combined with the 2,250W power audio and 5D sound effects, are the most impressive. However, when you don’t turn the volume up to maximum, the vibrating effect is a bit like the panel’s resonance, which is a bit “cheap”.
The bass effect of the Mercedes-Benz’s Berliner Philharmoniker is the best, with a strong emphasis on the low frequencies that is not too noisy, and the high and medium frequencies are also very clear.
The Ideal L8 Max sound system features 21 speakers, a power output of 1,920W, and supports Dolby Atmos 7.3.4 surround sound. Although it does not have standout features as the previous two models, the balanced sound produced by the 7-speaker setup, 3 subwoofers, and 4 top speakers create a full surround sound experience that is enjoyable.
In addition, the family-oriented Ideal L8 still has an entertainment screen in the back row for users to choose from. However, this feature is only available in the top-tier L8 Max version. The 15.7-inch screen between the first and second row sunroofs has a resolution of 2,880 x 1,620 and a resolution of 3k, making it possible to connect to an external monitor or Switch.
Considering that there is a power supply interface under the third-row floor with a power output of 1,100W and a voltage up to 220V, it is possible to connect a PS5.
It is worth mentioning that the central control screen, co-driver screen, and rear entertainment screen on the Ideal L8 all use LCD material, which is slightly different from the OLED used in the Ideal L9. Apart from thickness issues, when displaying a pure black picture, visible black dots on the lit background could be seen, which not only reduces the visual experience but also highlights the black border of the screen. Fortunately, the rear entertainment screen is not held in hand and viewed at close range like a tablet or phone, making it a good experience when using it on the second row.
The models with entertainment screen in the second row include BMW X7, which has dual 10.2-inch screens placed on the back of the front seats. It uses BMW’s iDrive system and allows simple entertainment operations as well as navigation software setup. However, compared with Ideanomics L8, the functionality is said to be five years behind.
Surprisingly, in 2022, we can still see a CD player in the back of the BMW X7. In this era of streaming media, the appearance of CD players offers older consumers a chance to walk down memory lane.
First Row Space
As for space, let’s first take a look at the front seats. Among the five cars on display, only Ideanomics L8 does not support leg support. The remaining four cars can adjust the leg support with a maximum length of 6.5 cm and a minimum of 2 cm. Furthermore, the maximum cushion length after unfolding is much longer than Ideanomics L8’s.
For people with long legs in front of the screen, there may not be much difference in short trips, but having a long leg support during long trips can effectively reduce sitting fatigue.
However, in terms of riding experience, Ideanomics L8’s cushion filling is very soft and paired with standard Nappa leather throughout the series, the feel is not only soft but also smooth. When sitting down, there is a certain sense of sinking, but without feeling loose. The lower layer of sponge can provide some support, and when sitting in the seat with a height of 175 cm and a weight of 68 kg, the shape and back fit of the seat are no less than those of Mercedes-Benz GLE and BMW X7.
The front seat also supports ventilation, heating, and massage, which is a 10-point massage. However, among the front seats, the queen passenger seat of NIO ES7 is the most popular. It has a first-class seat on a high-speed train. Besides supporting the thighs and calves, it also has a footrest at the bottom that provides a very comfortable sitting position when unfolded.In addition, the shoulder section of the front seats of BMW X7 can be adjusted separately to find the most suitable driving position for users regardless of their body shape and driving habits. This is worth our new forces to learn.
As for the materials inside the car, Ideal L8 adopts a large amount of Nappa leather covering whether you can touch it or not. The most critical point is that L8 is not just a layer of leather, but also has a certain amount of sponge under the leather fabric. Therefore, wherever you can touch, it is soft and very high-end.
Since we mentioned fabrics, let’s take a look at the entire car. XPeng G9, NIO ES7 and BMW X7 all use suede materials, which can highlight the luxurious atmosphere in the cabin in terms of touch and vision. Ideal L8 still uses fabric top, which will cause some psychological gap after comparing with other cars.
Second-row Space
Ideal L8 and BMW X7 are the only two three-row six-seat SUVs in the competition. For mid-size SUVs, the five-seat version will have very luxurious second-row legroom. However, there are also exceptions. Two testers with similar heights have significant differences in experiencing Mercedes-Benz GLE and XPeng G9.
The rear space of Mercedes-Benz GLE still has a lot of space left even with a hand stretched out, and can even easily cross the legs. The space on XPeng G9 is not so outstanding. NIO ES7 is in between.
For the 6-seat model, in order to ensure a relatively comfortable space for both the second and third rows, both rows need to sacrifice some legroom.In the ideal L8, with 3-finger legroom in the second row, the rear row can achieve a fist-sized legroom, which can be considered a comfortable space for everyone to ride in.
Due to the intrusion of wheel arches on both sides of the passenger compartment, the legs of third-row passengers can only be placed under the second-row seats on one side and in the middle of the aisle on the other side, which is not a very comfortable seating position.
In addition, the headroom in the third row is 3 fingers. If you are around 1.8 meters tall, you may have trouble hitting your head on the top.
Let’s take a look at the BMW X7 with a larger size. With only fist-sized legroom, the rear legroom of the X7 is still 4 fingers, and the overall space is slightly larger than that of the L8, but not much larger, which can be considered at the same level.
However, the headroom in the third row of the BMW X7 is slightly better. After riding in it, I still have 1 fist-sized headroom. In addition, the third-row passengers also have a sunroof, so even if the space is not as large as the first and second rows, it still does not feel very oppressive.
The spaciousness of the passenger cabin is one of the important considerations for comfort. After ensuring the space is sufficient, comfort will be the next major consideration.
On the second and third rows of seats, the ideal L8 has a cushion length that is the same as that of the BMW X7, and the seat height of the BMW X7 is slightly better. However, in actual experience, the difference between the two is not significant. The L8 thickens the thigh support to some extent, making up for the 2 cm gap. In daily use, the second row of seats in these two cars can be considered the most comfortable seating in the entire vehicle.
In terms of the length and width of the cushion, both the ideal L8 and the BMW X7 achieved a similar level, but in actual experience, the comfort of the ideal L8 is clearly better. Firstly, in terms of the filling material of the seat sponge, the ideal L8 is closer to the softness of the front two rows, and still has a sinking feeling, while the BMW is visibly harder.
Secondly, the filling material of the ideal L8 is more solid, and the seat cushion is soft when changing positions. On the BMW X7, if you change to a specific position, your bottom will directly feel the steel plate at the bottom, which appears to be particularly cheap.
In terms of configuration, the ideal L8’s second row has ventilated, heated and massaging seats, and 4-way electric adjustment, while the third row has 2-way electric backrest adjustment, Type-C charging port, and seat heating. At the same time, the driver can also operate the third-row seat folding or opening state through the screen.
As a traditional car model, the BMW X7 also has second-row electric adjustment buttons on the driver-side door panel. The convenience has been taken into consideration, but there is still a certain learning curve for the first time. It is not as simple as directly controlling it.
Trunk SpaceAccording to our measurement, the NIO ES7 has the longest trunk width, which is nearly 24 cm wider than the Mercedes GLE and BMW X7. The width and opening of the trunk also allow for larger objects to be loaded into the vehicle.
In terms of depth, the maximum depth of the trunk of the Li Xiang L8, with the third row of seats upright, can reach 52 cm, which is 7 cm more than the BMW X7 with a longer length and wheelbase; and it still has a 2 cm advantage over the BMW X7 when the third row is folded down. This space can easily accommodate a 20-inch suitcase placed horizontally or a 28-inch suitcase placed vertically, without much problem. However, it may be a bit cramped to fit equipment for six people going on an outdoor trip.
The trunk function of the L8 is consistent with the L9. The tailgate can be opened and closed by five ways: button, key, kick, screen, and voice. The third row of seats can be electrically folded down. In addition, thanks to the L8’s air suspension, the rear suspension can be lowered an additional 10 mm in the loading mode, from the standard height of -50 mm, thus improving the convenience of loading heavy objects.
Despite not being outstanding in power, the Li Xiang L8 is still suitable for daily use. The experience site of the L8 displayed a Mercedes GLE 53 AMG, which puzzled me at first. An ordinary GLE 450 is enough for the mid-size SUV category. Why choose a 53 AMG?
However, when I compared the power parameters of the Li Xiang L8 with those of the Mercedes GLE 53 AMG, I found that the official 0-100 km/h acceleration time of both vehicles is exactly the same, which is 5.5 seconds. Moreover, their maximum power is also very similar, and the L8 has only 10 kW more than the GLE 53. No wonder Li Xiang had to work so hard to find such a competitor.Compared to the gasoline-powered competitors, the electric Ideal L8’s specifications may not seem as impressive. The NIO ES7 and XPeng G9 can both accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, with the ES7 boasting a terrifying 480 kW of power, placing it in the performance SUV category. However, the Ideal L8 is geared more towards family use – nobody wants to show off their power while driving their spouse, children, or parents in the back seat. Therefore, excessive horsepower is unnecessary, as long as it is adequate.
Gasoline and Electric
For the Ideal L8, the range is a more important factor than horsepower. According to official data, the Ideal L8 is equipped with a 42.8 kWh NCM 622 lithium-ion battery pack, with a maximum CLTC range of 210 km (WLTC is 175 km). Additionally, the 1.5T four-cylinder powertrain and 65 L fuel tank together provide a maximum CLTC range of 1,315 km (WLTC is over 1,100 km). After we obtain the Ideal L8, we will test its real electric range and energy consumption for you.
The Ideal L8’s extended-range structure makes it possible to switch between gasoline and electric without worrying about running out of battery or gas. If you have a home charging station and mainly drive short distances, you can save a lot of money on transportation costs by driving purely on electricity, without having to panic at the fuel pump.
In terms of suspension, the Ideal L8 adopts a front double-wishbone and rear multi-link suspension, as well as standard air suspension and CDC shock absorbers. These suspension systems make for a very cost-effective option under 400,000 yuan.
This single-chamber air suspension system supports a height adjustment range of ±40mm, with manually adjustable heights of -20mm, 0mm (176mm), and +40mm. In the convenient entry and exit mode, the entire vehicle can be lowered to a maximum of -40mm.
Furthermore, during vehicle operation, the chassis will adjust the height according to speed and mode.
- In sport mode, at 120 km/h or higher for 30 seconds, the suspension will lower by 20mm to reduce aerodynamic drag.
- At speeds below 70 km/h or maintained below 90 km/h for 30 seconds, the suspension will adjust to the standard mode at 0mm.
For a more specific dynamic driving experience of the LI L8, we will share it with everyone as soon as possible after the test drive in October.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
The LI L8 is available in two versions, Pro and Max. The vehicle in our real-life demonstration is the Max version, with the AD Max advanced driver assistance hardware. The main hardware specifications are as follows:
From a hardware perspective, new players in the industry have equipped their advanced driver assistance hardware with everything from lidars, surround perception systems, and millimeter wave radars. Furthermore, all of them use Nvidia’s high-computing power platform Orin-X. Among them, the NIO ES7 is equipped with four, with the maximum computing power reaching a terrifying 1,016 Tops.
The NIO ES7 has powerful hardware support but currently does not offer NOP. Only ACC+LCC can be used. According to NIO’s official statement, NOP+enhanced navigation assistance driving will be released at the end of the third quarter or the beginning of the fourth quarter, which involves calling upon such powerful hardware. We can look forward to it.
As for the XPeng G9’s driving assistant, we cannot currently use it since the car we received is a trial prototype. We plan to further explore the car’s capabilities when we have the opportunity.
Regardless of whether it is the Pro or Max version of the Ideal ONE L8, they are both moving towards pure visual perception direction, with only one forward millimeter wave radar being retained in the Max version. In August of this year, when the Ideal ONE L9 was delivered, the NOA high-speed navigation assistance driving function was opened synchronously, being the first navigation-assisted driving based on Orin-X. We will also provide our experience of using the Ideal ONE L8 AD Max next month.
We believe that it will be very interesting to compare the NIO ES7, Ideal ONE L8, and XPeng G9 after they have all launched NOA. As for BMW and Mercedes-Benz, we have previously tested the X5 and E-Class, both of which have demonstrated very stable basic driving assistance capabilities and have given us some surprises. The theoretical basics of matching hardware and software in the X7 and GLE should also have similar basic driving assistance capabilities.
Overall, in this era of rapidly developing driver assistance, traditional manufacturers have done well in basic driving assistance, but they lack more advanced driving assistance functions compared to new forces. Therefore, the gap between everyone has not completely widened for the time being. The L8, ES7, and G9 have all used very high-specification driving assistance hardware, and with subsequent legal regulations in place, the appearance of true L4 will be the place where these powerful hardware can be utilized.
Conclusion
As the Ideal ONE’s replacement product, the Ideal L8 has been greatly improved in all aspects, with a price range of 359,800-399,800 yuan. Coupled with the static experience of the L8, it already has the potential to continue the hot-selling trend of the ONE.
However, the emergence of the L8 is not just about continuing the mission of Ideal ONE, because its big brother L9 is arguably the best SUV under 5 million RMB in terms of hardware quality. From the perspective of the hardware equipment, Ideal L8 is indeed very similar to the iPhone case study in terms of fully copying the flagship L9 specifications, with a 6-seater configuration, and a price 58,200 RMB cheaper than the L9. Therefore, whether placed in its own product line or among competitors, Ideal L8 is a very competitive product.
However, what we have seen above is only judged based on static experience. The car is ultimately used for driving and riding. Driving experience is the specialty of century-old brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, while new forces have also been working hard to improve their driving experience over the past two years. How does the comprehensive performance of the Ideal L8 perform, and there are still energy consumption, driving quality, auxiliary driving waiting for us to further analyze.
We are also particularly looking forward to taking an Ideal L8 with family and friends for a trip during this October holiday.
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.