Everyone must be familiar with the Ideal brand. From the first model ONE, to the subsequent L series, to the high-end MPV MEGA, they have all achieved impressive results in the market. At present, Ideal has launched the Ideal i8, a medium-to-large SUV, to expand its product line and accelerate its pure electric layout. It is reported that the new car will be officially launched in July this year. As a key model of the Ideal i series, how does the Ideal i8 perform? Can it continue the momentum of the Ideal family? Let's take a deeper look.
From the official pictures that have been released, it can be seen that the appearance of Ideal i8 is unique. The front face abandons the style of the extended-range power L series and draws on the design of the pure electric MPV MAGE. The front windshield position adopts a through-type light strip, and the front of the car is simple, with a concept car charm. The side of the body combines the advantages of the L series and Ideal MAGE, with elegant lines and toughness. The floating roof is matched with the hidden door handles that are standard for new energy vehicles, creating a strong sense of avant-garde technology.
It is important to note that intelligence is the main theme of the Ideal brand, and this is also true for the new Ideal i8. Thanks to the support of Hesai AT128 laser radar, 6 millimeter-wave radars, and 11 cameras, it also has high-level intelligent driving capabilities.
Although Ideal has not officially announced the size of the Ideal i8, judging from its side profile and the positioning of a medium-to-large car, the length of the car is likely to exceed 5.1 meters, and the wheelbase may reach about 3.3 meters. The Ideal i8 has many highlights in space design. By shortening the front overhang, the space occupied by the front of the car is effectively reduced, and a more spacious seating area is reserved for passengers in the car. According to some media reports, the Ideal i8 continues the 2+2+2 6-seat layout, while optimizing details such as the inclination angle of the A-pillar. Although the actual performance of the interior space is not yet known, referring to the outstanding performance of the Ideal L series models in terms of space, there is reason to believe that the Ideal i8 will also continue this advantage and bring consumers a comfortable driving experience.
In terms of interior, the new Ideal i8 will also adopt the Ideal family-style cockpit language. With the 15.7-inch dual-screen design, AR-HUD head-up display function and the instrument panel at the steering wheel position, it has a good car-machine intelligent performance, and the experience will be on par with the L series and Ideal MAGE.
The new Ideal i8 is full of sincerity in hardware configuration, and the entire series is equipped with a dual-motor power system and air suspension as standard. Referring to the parameters of Ideal MAGE, the Ideal i8 has a comprehensive power of 400kW and a peak torque of 542N・m, and is expected to achieve a 4-second acceleration from 0 to 100 kilometers. In terms of battery life, the Ideal i8 is very likely to be equipped with the same 102.7kWh ternary lithium battery pack as the Ideal MAGE, with a pure electric range of about 700km. Taking into account the concerns of some consumers about the battery life and energy replenishment efficiency of pure electric vehicles, the Ideal i8 relies on the brand's self-built 5C supercharging network to greatly alleviate battery life anxiety. Under this supercharging network, the Ideal i8 can increase its battery life by 500km after charging for 12 minutes. However, the current Ideal supercharging stations are mainly concentrated in large cities. If the Ideal brand wants to make greater breakthroughs in the pure electric market, it is urgent to speed up the popularization of supercharging stations in more areas.
The debut of the new Ideal i8 undoubtedly provides potential consumers with a brand new car purchase option. Through a preliminary analysis of its product strength, whether it is the spacious and comfortable space experience, cutting-edge intelligent configuration, or solid hardware equipment, it demonstrates its leading position among models of the same level. In my personal opinion, once the new Ideal i8 is officially launched on the market, if the price can be maintained in the range of 350,000 to 400,000 yuan, with the strong influence of the Ideal brand itself and the unique and innovative product characteristics of the i8, it is very likely to stand out from the models of the same level and become a hot-selling model.