SAIC's IM upscale brand readies Europe launch with L6 electric sedan

China's IM, which is owned by MG parent company SAIC, unveiled the L6 long-range premium electric sedan at the 2024 Geneva auto show.

The show reveal of the midsize car comes in advance of the brand’s launch in Europe in 2025, IM said in a statement. The brand did not disclose which were its European target markets.

The L6 will be available with a solid-state battery that boosts its electric range to more than 800 km (497 miles), IM said. A version with a standard battery will have a range of more than 600 km.

The car can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in under three seconds, the brand said.

IM is SAIC’s premium-angled alternative to Chinese newcomers such as Nio, Xpeng and Avatr. The brand offers “leading edge” technology and will focus on larger sedans and SUVs, it said.

IM sold 30,306 models in China last year, up almost 600 percent on the year before, according to data from sales aggregator Bestsellingcarsblog.com.

The brand’s current best-selling model in China is the LS7 large SUV, ahead of the L7 large sedan and newly launched LS6 midsize SUV.

The L7 sedan has a 90-kilowatt-hour battery for a range of 615 km as measured on the China official test cycle. The car features lidar sensors and Nvidia’s Orin X advanced driver assistance-optimized semiconductor to give Level 2 semi-autonomous capability. The interior has three screens accessible to the driver and front seat passenger.

IM has worked with the U.K.’s Williams Advanced Engineering to help tune the chassis for better driver involvement on the L7.

The L6 was unveiled at Geneva alongside the MG3 hybrid small car, which will expand MG’s presence in the budget segment in Europe.

SAIC sold 232,708 cars in Europe last year, more than double the year before. The majority were MGs at 231,664 units sold. SAIC also sells the Maxus minivan and commercial brand in Europe.