Recently, Ideal Auto officially announced that it will make unified configuration adjustments to the three versions of its new car i8: Pro, Max, and Ultra.
Ideal Auto stated, "After the adjustment, the Ideal i8 Max will be the standard configuration, and the price will be adjusted from 349,800 yuan to 339,800 yuan. A platinum audio system worth 10,000 yuan will be given as a bonus, and a rear cabin entertainment screen package (10,000 yuan) will be available as an option. Customers who originally chose the Ultra version for 369,800 yuan will now only need 349,800 yuan to get all the configurations they originally chose. For customers who originally chose the Pro version, Ideal will cancel or upgrade their subscriptions and provide exclusive services."
Why did such an adjustment occur? In two words, it can be explained that Ideal "listened to advice." This is the official response of Ideal based on user order demand feedback. It is reported that Ideal i8 has received widespread attention from users since its launch on July 29. However, along with the attention, it has also received a lot of complaints, and the main focus is on the point that "the model versions are a bit complicated and difficult to choose." At the same time, Ideal also found that among the users who placed orders, more than 98% of users chose the i8 Max and Ultra models. Based on these two points, Ideal made the decision to unify the configuration version.
Notably, the official adjustments were made very quickly, with only seven days between the i8's launch and Ideal's announcement of the revised configuration. Ideal has always been highly efficient at resolving issues, as evidenced by its swift response to past crises, including its early refocus on extended-range vehicles, adjustments to its pricing structure, product iterations, and the swift organizational reforms it initiated last year when MEGA sales fell short of expectations.
Efficiency is not only a word engraved in the genes of the Ideal Auto brand. In a highly competitive market, rapid combat is also an essential psychological quality and ability for a company with Internet genes. It is also the key to a company's continued victory.
Return to the "Ideal ONE Era", top configuration is standard
After this adjustment, netizens commented that the familiar Ideal ONE formula had returned, as the i8 revived the user value of "top configuration is standard." Before the Ideal ONE, a once-phenomenal vehicle, the notion of "300,000 yuan being the top configuration" was unthinkable in the luxury market dominated by established brands. With the arrival of the Ideal ONE, luxury is no longer just a brand aura, but a travel option for a wider audience.
Just as the Ideal ONE laid the foundation for Ideal Auto's success from zero to one, the Ideal i8, as Ideal Auto's first pure electric SUV, will also be Ideal Auto's all-out effort to achieve its goal of building a strong presence in the pure electric SUV market from zero to one. Therefore, after listening to real user needs, Ideal quickly changed the configurations of its original three models, establishing a single, unified, and most competitive configuration to reduce user selection and sales explanation costs.
It is worth mentioning that in addition to simplifying the configuration, Ideal finally chose to make refrigerators, sofas, and platinum speakers standard to respond to user needs.
Li Xiang once said that product value determines the potential for growth in car sales. It's precisely this commitment to user value and the pursuit of excellence in product quality that has made Ideal a hit since its founding, a true instant hit. The Ideal ONE represents the first time a Chinese luxury car brand with a starting price exceeding 300,000 yuan has achieved monthly deliveries exceeding 10,000. Ideal's L series (L7/L8/L9) dominates both the mid-size and large SUV segments. With the launch and delivery of the MEGA Home, MEGA has overcome past sales bottlenecks and is gradually rising. Currently, MEGA has become the sales champion of all pure electric vehicles priced above 500,000 yuan in the Chinese auto market.
The Ideal i8 is also expected to set a new industry record. With new energy vehicle penetration exceeding 50%, market share is converging on leading brands, particularly in the luxury market. Ideal Auto's position as a leading brand and its strong user base are likely to help the i8 become a hit.
Use the most valuable configuration to create a 300,000-400,000 pure electric hot-selling model
Since the Ideal i8's launch, the industry has placed high hopes on it, betting on its potential to become a blockbuster in the 300,000-400,000 yuan price range. According to data from the first half of this year, the Tesla Model Y currently leads the sales charts in this price range, with monthly sales of approximately 7,000 units, while the remaining models all sell for less than 4,000 units. Market analysts believe that one of the key reasons why pure electric SUVs in this price range haven't fully captured consumer interest is that range anxiety hasn't been adequately addressed.
Based on this, Ideal Auto accurately grasped user pain points and equipped the i8 with 5C Supercharging as standard, achieving a 500-kilometer range in 10 minutes, along with a standard maximum range of 720 km. To support 5C Supercharging, Ideal Auto has built its own Supercharging network, encompassing over 3,000 Supercharging stations and over 16,000 Supercharging piles. This network connects the core sections of China's "Nine Vertical and Nine Horizontal" expressways, with urban Supercharging stations covering 258 cities, creating a "10-minute charging life circle."
However, Supercharging is only one of the key advantages of Ideal's all-electric vehicles. Beyond 5C Supercharging, the Ideal i8 continues to offer users exceptional space, providing a three-row experience comparable to an MPV. The flat floor of the all-electric vehicle also creates more legroom for all three rows.
After the Pro version is discontinued, the Ideal i8 will be equipped with the VLA intelligent driving system as standard across the entire lineup. This will undoubtedly further enhance the i8's appeal to consumers. By the end of 2024, Ideal Auto's assisted driving test drive rate reached 72.4%, with test drive satisfaction reaching 92%, and the proportion of user test drives rising for ten consecutive months. This means that assisted driving is no longer a weak factor in user purchasing decisions, but a key factor driving Ideal's sales growth. As another leap forward in Ideal Auto's assisted driving technology, Ideal VLA will become a trusted "personal driver" for family users.
As Li Xiang said at the i8 launch conference, "The Ideal i8 can not only solve the range anxiety of pure electric users, but also provide a comfortable and intelligent space experience. It is a leapfrog product."
On August 20th, the Ideal i8 will begin deliveries. This marks the official entry of the Ideal i8 into the pure electric vehicle market in the 300,000-400,000 yuan price range. As a brand-new pure electric SUV, if the i8's monthly sales exceed 4,000 units, it will surpass 99% of all pure electric vehicles on the market. If monthly sales reach 7,000 units, it will set a new record for the Chinese auto industry.
Final Thoughts
On the day the configuration adjustments were officially announced, Li Xiang also posted a post on Weibo that looked like a streamlined version of the i8's configuration adjustments. Beyond this, we also saw Li Xiang's self-reflection, saying, "The i8 continues the configuration features of the Ideal L8. We've fallen into inertial thinking." Rather, it's precisely fighting inertia and shortcuts that has led to the development of the Ideal Auto we know today.
From January to June this year, Ideal Auto was the sales champion in the 300,000 to 400,000 yuan SUV market, regardless of fuel type. The launch of the i8 is expected to expand Ideal's base, help it better cope with market competition, and usher in a new chapter in its development.
