Author: Chuchu
The Ideal L8 came suddenly, and I did not expect Li Xiang’s “One more thing” also brought the Ideal L7.
On Sep 30th, on the node when the Ideal L9 hit a delivery volume of ten thousand for the first time, the Ideal L8 and Ideal L7 were unveiled at the same conference.
Among them, there are two models of the Ideal L8, which will be delivered in November:
- Ideal L8 Pro: 359,800 yuan
- Ideal L8 Max: 399,800 yuan
The Ideal L7 also has two models. It will debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November and be delivered at the end of February 2023:
- Ideal L7 Pro: 339,800 yuan
- Ideal L7 Max: 379,800 yuan
One conference, two products, equivalent to the release speed of electronic technology products, makes peers envy.
In fact, the L8 was launched two full months earlier than expected.
In addition to XPeng G9, Avita 11, Model Y and other models, users now have a new choice in the Chinese new energy SUV market of the 400,000-yuan level.
What are the upgrades of the Ideal L8 compared to the Ideal ONE?
As the officially claimed “best six-seater SUV under 400,000 yuan,” the Ideal L8 has undergone many upgrades based on the Ideal ONE.
In terms of appearance, the Ideal L8 no longer resembles the Ideal ONE, but is very similar to the Ideal L9.Overall, the Ideal L8 is a completely new model compared to the Ideal ONE, both inside and out, in terms of appearance, interior, mechanical quality, and intelligent configuration.
Firstly, the size of the car has increased. The Ideal L8 measures 5080mm in length, 1995mm in width, 1800mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 3005mm. The interior space of the car is also slightly more spacious than the Ideal ONE.
In terms of power, the L8 has upgraded from a three-cylinder engine to the widely praised 1.5T four-cylinder engine, with a maximum power of 330kW and a maximum torque of 620 Nm. It can not only meet urban commuting needs but also run in suburban areas on holidays.
It has acceleration of 5.5 seconds per 100 km and a WLTC comprehensive range of 1100 km. In addition, all-wheel drive and Magic Carpet air suspension are standard features.
In terms of assisted driving, the configuration of the Ideal L8 has been upgraded. The 2021 Ideal ONE used two Horizon Journey 3 chips, five millimeter-wave radars, and 12 ultrasonic radars. The Ideal L8 is equipped with either a Horizon Journey 5 chip or a dual Orin X chip by NVIDIA and LiDAR. The standard model can achieve high-speed NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) assisted driving, while the high-end model can achieve L4-level autonomous driving.
It is worth mentioning that the Horizon Journey 5 chip mounted on the L8 is a global debut.
In terms of intelligent cockpit, the 2021 Ideal ONE uses a Qualcomm 820A chip, while the Ideal L8 uses a Qualcomm 8155 chip, with some high-end models even fitted with two chips.7.3.4 Dolby panoramic sound system, front row four-screen interactive system with HUD, 3K display, and NOA navigation assisted driving will be equipped as standard across the range.
In short, the overall product strength of Ideal L8 is significantly higher than that of the current Ideal ONE.
Ideal L8 and Ideal L9, hard to tell the difference?
What are the differences between Ideal L8 and Ideal L9?
Let me give you a very easy-to-understand example. The relationship between L8 and L9 is like that of iPhone14, 14Plus, 14Pro, and Pro Max.
The appearance of the two models is very similar, but there are big differences in configuration and space.
First, the L8 is positioned as a mid-size SUV, and the L9 is a full-size SUV.
In terms of body data, the L8 is 13.8 cm shorter than the L9, 3 cm narrower, and the wheelbase is 10 cm shorter. However, the front, side and rear of both models are very similar.
Although the size difference is very slight, you can feel the difference in space only when you sit in the car.
If the L9 is like a 180 square meter three-bedroom apartment, then the L8 feels like a 120 square meter three-bedroom apartment.
There are also differences in configuration:
The L8 is equipped with 20-inch wheels as standard, smaller than the L9’s 21-inch wheels.
The L8 battery capacity is smaller than the L9. The L8 battery is 42.8 degrees, while the L9 battery is 44.5 degrees. The L8’s WLTC pure electric range is 175 km, while the L9’s is 180 km.
Under comprehensive working conditions, both L8 and L9 have a total CLTC cruising range of 1315 km, and a total WLTC cruising range of 1100 km.
The small table in the back seat, the second-row leg rest and refrigerator that were originally standard in the Ideal L9 are now all reduced in configuration in the Ideal L8.
Overall, different prices correspond to different configurations, and the Ideal L8 has prepared the best solution for consumers with different needs.
The significance of L8 for Ideal
With the discontinuation and price reduction of Ideal ONE, and the delivery of Ideal L9 just one month ago, why did Ideal choose to launch the L8 at this time?
We first need to understand the significance of the L8 for the Ideal brand.
At first glance, the L8 is the successor of the ONE, continuing and upgrading the Ideal ONE.
The successor to the ONE allowed the L8 to smoothly integrate into the L-series family, forming a clearer product sequence that is easier for consumers to remember.
However, the deeper meaning of the L8 can be understood as a complete break with the past for Ideal.
Imagine that Ideal could have named the L8 2022 Ideal ONE, but Ideal did not do so.This is enough to show that the significance of L8 is not only limited to this; it also carries the mission of rebranding, as well as Li Xiang’s longer-term considerations for the future.
Li Xiang has emphasized on several occasions that Ideal needs to learn from Apple.
Apple’s core philosophy is that for a luxury product price, users can enjoy a very high level of product experience. Li Xiang is replicating Apple’s philosophy in the automotive industry.
The first is cost control.
Starting from L9, to L8, and the subsequent L series, both the product naming and production will trend towards large-scale production.
Ideal follows a configuration and cost control theory, making configuration standard, which may appear as if the automaker is losing money, but in reality, using the Ideal L9 as an example, with 150,000 cars sold annually, the cost per vehicle may be as low as CNY 100-200.
In addition, standard configuration can help avoid calculations between the automaker and users and lower the potential asset losses for users when replacing a car in the future.
Secondly, as the first automaker to learn from Apple, Ideal brings advanced production concepts from Apple into the automotive industry. This change from the inside out has already influenced and even led the trend in the automotive product line.
Recently, XPeng G9 changed its vehicle naming method from the previous “G, E, X” to the current Plus, Pro, and Max, enough to show that this has become a trend.
What we see is that Ideal has overturned its past design, discarded its past glory, and the L9 and L8 have directly cut the Ideal ONE’s sales. But in reality, this is just the pain that Ideal must go through before its transformation.
As the market develops, Ideal is also launching new products in more segmented markets.
Not only is Ideal continuously launching new products in the extended-range market, it is expected to launch a pure electric vehicle model and the first mid-range car model priced between CNY 200,000 to 300,000 next year.
As the successor of the popular Ideal ONE, will Ideal L8 become the preferred mid-to-large-size SUV for families within CNY 400,000? Will this car create another sales miracle?
We wait and see.
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.