IM Motors LS7

Vehicle Overview

The IM LS7 is the second model introduced by IM Motors, positioned as a flagship mid-to-large-size fully electric SUV. Officially launched in February 2023, it serves as the trailblazer for IM Motors' "LS" SUV product line. Anchored by its core positioning as a "large five-seater pure electric SUV", the model focuses on ultimate driving dynamics, a high-tech cabin, and class-transcending comfort, going head-to-head against rivals such as the NIO ES6/ES8, XPENG G9, and Li Auto L9.

On 16 June 2025, the refreshed IM LS7 was officially launched, carrying an early-bird promotional price of RM329,900 alongside an official retail price of RM339,900. Dimension-wise, the IM LS7 measures 5,049 mm in length, 2,002 mm in width, and 1,784 mm in height, with a generous 3,060 mm wheelbase and a cabin space utilisation rate of up to 90.4%, cementing its footprint in the mid-to-large-size pure EV SUV segment. The facelifted lineup comes standard with an 800V high-voltage architecture, Lizard Digital Chassis 2.0 (incorporating rear-wheel steering and active adaptive suspension), a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chipset, and an NVIDIA Orin X autonomous driving processor, powered by Momenta's flagship full-stack IM AD 3.0 end-to-end smart driving system. On 16 June 2026, the IM LS7 will introduce another iterative update, bringing further technical refinements to its Lizard Digital Chassis 2.0 and 800V electrical architecture.

Within the IM Motors product hierarchy, the LS7 sits above the LS6 and below the LS8 and LS9. While the LS6 targets the RM200,000-class compact SUV segment, the LS7 aims to elevate brand prestige within the RM300,000-tier mid-to-large SUV market. However, in stark contrast to the LS6's stellar monthly sales volume of over 10,000 units, the LS7 has seen a persistent sales downturn since 2024. Monthly figures plummeted from nearly 1,000 units during its initial launch to mere double or even single digits, making it a classic case of a vehicle that is "critically acclaimed yet commercially underwhelming" for the brand.

Design Language

The exterior styling of the IM LS7 carries forward the brand’s signature "fluid geometry" design ethos, delivering a sleek and aerodynamic visual presence. The front fascia features a closed-off grille flanked by L-shaped LED headlamp clusters with integrated LED daytime running lights, offering adaptive high/low beam, follow-me-home delay, and adverse weather light modes. Along the flanks, flush pop-out door handles, a swooping coupe-SUV silhouette, and frameless doors accentuate its sporty character. At the rear, the full-width LED taillight bar houses nearly 1,500 individual LED diodes for intricate light signatures, complemented by the ISC intelligent interactive lighting system with customisable light projections. Visual revisions on the refreshed model include a revised sensor setup where the previous twin roof-mounted LiDARs are replaced by a single centrally mounted unit (with the CarLog camera omitted) for a cleaner roofline, as well as slimmer, sharper light cluster edges. Four exterior paint finishes are on offer: Athena White, Ares Black, Raphael Tea, and Rembrandt Grey.

Inside, the cabin's headline feature is the Star Fall panoramic front windscreen boasting an expansive 106° vertical field of view; built with a triple-layer construction of Low-E coating, dual-layer silver-plated heat insulation, and a grey PVB acoustic interlayer, it achieves a solar transmittance rate of just 38.4% and blocks over 99% of UV rays. The cabin is further insulated by 11 pieces of double-glazed acoustic glass and active noise cancellation (ANC) to deliver exceptional NVH levels. The refreshed model replaces the previous motorised drop-down display with a fixed screen setup while maintaining the impressive screen estate: a 26.3-inch AMOLED primary digital cockpit display, a 12.8-inch lower central console control screen, and a 15.5-inch front passenger entertainment monitor. Drivers can choose between a yoke-style YAT steering wheel and a conventional round full-rim unit.

Powertrain and Performance

The refreshed IM LS7 migrates the entire range to an 800V (rated up to 875V in technical specifications) high-voltage platform, configured with dual-motor all-wheel drive. The rear-wheel-drive base variant outputs a maximum of 300 kW (up by 50 kW), while the dual-motor AWD variant pairs a 200 kW front motor (+25 kW) with a 379 kW rear motor (+129 kW), churning out a combined system output of 579 kW (approx. 787 PS / 776 hp) and peak torque of 800 Nm. This propels the SUV from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds, reaching a top speed of 239 km/h.

Juicing the powertrain is a standard 100 kWh CATL mid-to-high nickel single-crystal ternary lithium battery pack with an energy density of 206 Wh/kg, delivering a CLTC electric range of up to 700 km. DC fast charging allows up to 500 km of range replenishment in just 15 minutes, representing an 18% improvement in charging efficiency over the predecessor. A comprehensive smart thermal management system comes standard, capping cold-weather range degradation at just 12% in temperatures as low as -10°C. The refreshed IM LS7 adopts an 875V silicon carbide (SiC) Hurricane e-motor spinning up to 21,000 rpm, demonstrating next-generation electric drive technology.

Chassis and Handling

The refreshed IM LS7 features the proprietary "Lizard Digital Chassis 2.0" as standard across the range, serving as its core engineering highlight. The underpinnings utilise a high-rigidity, lightweight all-aluminium structure, riding on a front double-wishbone suspension with dual ball joints and a rear multi-link independent suspension. It is equipped with a Continental adaptive air suspension system offering 70 mm of travel across 5 adjustable ride heights, paired with Bilstein continuously variable electromagnetic dynamic damping shock absorbers to dynamically adjust damping stiffness according to road conditions.

Active rear-wheel steering comes standard across all variants, providing a maximum rear steering angle of ±6° (12° total sweep) to reduce the minimum turning radius to a tight 5.3 metres, granting this mid-to-large-size SUV the turning agility of a compact hatchback. Stopping power is handled by a complete Continental high-performance braking package paired with Italian Brembo callipers and FNC (Ferritic Nitrocarburizing) brake discs, achieving a 100-0 km/h braking distance of 33.6 metres. Chassis dynamic tuning was co-developed by Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) and Porsche engineering teams, striking a fine balance between sharp handling and plush ride comfort. Furthermore, the Lizard Digital Chassis supports over-the-air (OTA) updates for continuous dynamic refinements.

Cabin and Features

The refreshed IM LS7's interior is driven by the latest IMOS 3.6.0 smart operating system, powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 SoC (offering a substantial computing leap over the earlier 8155 chip), ensuring generous memory allocation and ultra-responsive UI transitions. The infotainment system incorporates the DeepSeek AI large language model, supporting natural conversational voice commands, continuous multi-instruction execution without wake words, OTA updates, and 4G connected telematics.

Seating appointments include ventilation, heating, and massage functions across all seats as standard. Up front, the passenger side features an executive lounge seat design: the seatback reclines to 121° while the ottoman elevates to 130°; with the front headrest removed, it folds entirely flat to merge with the rear seat bench into an expansive lounge daybed. The powered leg rest offers multi-axis adjustment and glides along a 1,955 mm extended electric sliding rail to unlock maximum rear legroom. Additional cabin tech amenities include 11 pieces of acoustic double-glazed glass with ANC, a 12.8-inch rear control display (with multi-screen cross-linking), an active cabin fragrancing system, and 256-colour ambient mood lighting.

Convenience and comfort equipment is comprehensive, with a fixed panoramic glass roof, smart keyless entry, hands-free powered tailgate, Qi wireless smartphone charging, and dual front USB/Type-C ports with 60W fast charging fitted as standard.

Safety and Driver Assistance

The IM LS7 holds solid safety validation from authoritative third-party testing bodies. In March 2024, the IM LS7 scored top-tier "Good (G)" ratings across all three core evaluation pillars—Occupant Safety, Pedestrian Safety, and Vehicle Safety Assist—in the China Insurance Automotive Safety Index (C-IASI) crash tests. For passive safety, the vehicle is built on a high-strength safety cage structure utilising 1,500 MPa hot-stamped ultra-high-strength steel in critical load paths, with dual front airbags, front side airbags, full-length curtain airbags, and a front-centre FarSide airbag all standard.

In terms of active safety and autonomous driving, the refreshed lineup is equipped with an NVIDIA Orin X chipset (delivering 254 TOPS of compute) and a roof-mounted long-range high-definition LiDAR, running Momenta's top-tier IM AD 3.0 end-to-end smart driving architecture. This system achieves mapless Urban Navigation on Autopilot (NOA) nationwide, executing point-to-point semi-autonomous pilot driving along mapped routes without relying on high-definition geofenced maps. The full ADAS suite features Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB with car-to-car, pedestrian, and vulnerable road user detection, junction turning assist, and reverse AEB), Full-Speed Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC with Stop & Go), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Rear Cross Traffic Alert with auto braking (RCTA), Driver Monitoring System (DMS), and Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR).

For enhanced visibility, "Rainy Night Mode 2.0" projects real-time blind-spot camera feeds onto the central display during inclement weather, greatly improving driving safety in low-visibility conditions. A 360-degree high-definition surround-view camera system with an underfloor "transparent chassis" view also comes standard to eliminate blind spots during tight low-speed parking manoeuvres.

Market Performance and Reception

Since its market launch in 2023, the IM LS7 has charted a trajectory of "flying start, quiet fade". Full-year deliveries reached 14,065 units in 2023 before experiencing a sharp year-on-year drop—sliding to 3,305 units in 2024 and just 1,413 units in 2025. Heading into 2026, the sales slump deepened: delivering only 2 units in January 2026, 2 units in February, and dropping to 1 unit in March. With Q1 2026 sales tallying just 116 units, the model ranked fifth within IM Motors' stable, outpacing only the discontinued IM L7. Compared to the LS6's consistent monthly volume of over 10,000 units and the LS8/LS9 averaging several thousand units, the LS7 has found itself substantially sidelined in the brand's portfolio.

Industry observers attribute this market struggle to a distinct product-market mismatch: the IM LS7 championed driver-centric performance as its core selling proposition (showcasing an all-aluminium chassis, double-wishbone suspension, air springs, and rear-wheel steering), whereas buyers in the mid-to-large-size premium SUV segment predominantly prioritise plush passenger comfort, real-world range/charging ease, whisper-quiet NVH, and practical tech features. Dynamic handling prowess alone proved insufficient to sway family-oriented buyers in this segment. Moreover, the decision to remove the signature motorised drop-down screen and reduce the LiDAR setup to a single sensor on the facelifted model drew mixed reactions from the enthusiast community. Owner feedback remains largely positive regarding ride quality, cabin space, zero-gravity seating comfort, and striking exterior design, but software stability, audio tuning, and after-sales service support remain recurring points of criticism.

On the retail front, dealerships rolled out cash rebates of around RM10,000 alongside bundled early-bird incentives in the first half of 2026. IM Motors officially introduced complimentary option packs worth up to RM51,400, trade-in subsidies of RM15,000, and lifetime free access to the IM AD full-featured software suite (worth RM36,800) to reignite showroom interest, albeit with limited commercial impact. As of mid-2026, clear roadmaps for a full-model replacement remain unconfirmed, indicating that the vehicle is approaching the end of its current lifecycle. Nevertheless, as IM Motors' foundational foray into the large five-seater pure electric SUV space, the LS7's underlying modular architecture and chassis technologies have provided invaluable technical benchmarks and market insights for the subsequent development of the LS8 and LS9 flagship models.