Attention friends who plan to change their car before the Spring Festival. Those who want to buy a large-space family SUV with a price of around 300,000 yuan but are concerned about intelligence and battery life now have a new choice. Zhiji Auto just made a big move on January 21st. The official photos of the new mid-to-large extended-range SUV LS8 were officially exposed. It is positioned just between the LS6 and the flagship LS9. Not surprisingly, it will be available to everyone in the first quarter of this year.
To be honest, the current 300,000-class family SUV market is ridiculously huge. Veterans such as the Ideal L7 and Wenjie M7 have already established a firm foothold. Zhiji dares to get involved at this time, and he will definitely not dare to come if he doesn't have some hard work in his hands. The most attractive thing about this car is that it perfectly combines the large space needed by families, the pure electric range for daily commuting, and the smart driving that young people love.
Let’s look at the size first. This is the core lifeblood of a family car. The length, width and height of the Zhiji LS8 are 5085/2000/1807 mm respectively, and the wheelbase is as high as 3060 mm. It is larger than its own LS6 and smaller than the LS9. It is effortless to drive in
Attention friends who plan to change their car before the Spring Festival. Those who want to buy a large-space family SUV with a price of around 300,000 yuan but are concerned about intelligence and battery life now have a new choice. Zhiji Auto just made a big move on January 21st. The official photos of the new mid-to-large extended-range SUV LS8 were officially exposed. It is positioned just between the LS6 and the flagship LS9. Not surprisingly, it will be available to everyone in the first quarter of this year.
To be honest, the current 300,000-class family SUV market is ridiculously huge. Veterans such as the Ideal L7 and Wenjie M7 have already established a firm foothold. Zhiji dares to get involved at this time, and he will definitely not dare to come if he doesn't have some hard work in his hands. The most attractive thing about this car is that it perfectly combines the large space needed by families, the pure electric range for daily commuting, and the smart driving that young people love.
Let’s look at the size first. This is the core lifeblood of a family car. The length, width and height of the Zhiji LS8 are 5085/2000/1807 mm respectively, and the wheelbase is as high as 3060 mm. It is larger than its own LS6 and smaller than the LS9. It is effortless to drive in the city and has no hassle when parking. This size just hits the pain point of many families. They want enough space but are afraid that the car will be too big and difficult to control.
The seat layout is also very familiar to Chinese people. You can choose between 5-seater and 6-seater. For families with multiple children, the 6-seater version has independent seats in the second row, so children can play in the back without being crowded. If there are few people in the car, the trunk of the large 5-seater version can hold a lot of things, and it is no problem to bring a tent or a stroller for weekend camping. Zhiji's sales in December last year also paved the way for this car. 4,768 units of LS9 were delivered in the first month, and more than 100,000 units of LS6 were sold in total. With these results, consumers will feel more confident when buying.
In terms of price, the industry predicts that the starting price will be less than 300,000, which is very sincere. You must know that the Ideal L7 starts at 319,800, the Wenjie M7 extended-range version starts at 279,800, and the Zhiji LS8 is stuck in the middle. The price/performance ratio is immediately highlighted. Friends whose budget is stuck in this range have another reason to worry.
In terms of appearance design, the Zhiji LS8 continues the family style and looks very similar to the flagship LS9. The star ring-style light strip on the front face makes it highly recognizable when lit up at night. You can recognize it as Zhiji's car from a distance. The side lines of the car body are very smooth. The hidden door handles and the sloping C-pillar create the feeling of a floating roof. It is more agile than the C-pillar of the LS9, and young people may like it.
The through-type taillights at the rear of the car echo the front face. The light group has a point-like light effect, which is particularly exquisite when lit up at night. The details are also very considerate. Electric side steps, camping lights, and traction devices can all be optional, especially the lidar. It also comes in two shapes, one of which is combined with the roof camping light, which is both practical and stylish. Camping enthusiasts are ecstatic.
In terms of power and battery life, all Zhiji LS8 series use a 1.5T extended-range hybrid system. The maximum power of the range extender is 114 kilowatts, so there is no need to worry about losing power at high speeds. There are three power versions to choose from. The single-motor rear-wheel drive version has a maximum power of 230 kilowatts. The dual-motor four-wheel drive version has two power combinations, which are enough for daily commuting or high-speed overtaking.
The battery is a lithium iron phosphate battery provided by Times SAIC, with two capacities of 52.1 kWh and 65.9 kWh, and a maximum pure electric range of 335 kilometers. For daily commuting to and from get off work, charging once a week is enough. Even if you run long distances, the comprehensive battery life can exceed 1,000 kilometers, so you no longer have to worry about running out of battery halfway. The fed fuel consumption is also very friendly, with 5.9L/100km for the rear-wheel drive version and 6.2L/100km for the four-wheel drive version, which is more economical than many models of the same level.
What’s even more surprising is that it supports 800V fast charging technology. The charging speed is very fast, so you don’t have to wait too long for emergency recharge. The dual-motor four-wheel drive version accelerates from 100 kilometers to 100 kilometers in about 4.5 seconds. This level of power is already very powerful in a family SUV, and it can be satisfied if you occasionally want to experience the push-back feeling.
In terms of intelligent driving, Zhiji LS8 has invested heavily this time. It is equipped with a lidar directly on the roof as standard, which is still 520 lines. It can detect a distance of 300 meters and can accurately identify road conditions at night or in bad weather. The equipped IMAD MAX intelligent driving system can realize high-level assisted driving in cities and highways, making driving more worry-free and safer.
It is worth noting that Zhiji plans to mass-produce L3-level assisted driving and steer-by-wire technology in 2026. These technologies will most likely be used in high-end LS8 models first. The chassis is also very capable. The Lingxi digital chassis and rear-wheel steering system have a minimum turning diameter of only 10.8 meters. It is much more flexible than cars of the same class when turning around in residential areas or narrow road sections.
The suspension system will most likely be equipped with air suspension and CDC electromagnetic shock absorption. Whether it is passing a speed bump or walking on a bad road, it can filter out most of the bumps and maximize ride comfort. Although the details of the smart cockpit have not been announced, it is expected to continue the family-style large joint screen and be equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P chip. The operation of the car will definitely be smooth and there will be no lag.
In the mid-to-large SUV market in 2026, competition will only become more intense. Models such as Jikrypton 8X and Lantu Taishan X8 are all on the market. The opponents that Zhiji LS8 faces are not easy to deal with. Ideal L7 and Wenjie M7 have already accumulated a large number of users, and their brand influence is also stronger. If Zhiji wants to break through, it must rely on its product strength to speak for itself.
The extended-range SUV market has been declining for five consecutive months, and consumers are becoming more and more demanding. Not only do they need space and battery life, but their expectations for smart configurations and driving experience are also increasing. The advantage of Zhiji LS8 is that it has no obvious shortcomings and is well balanced in terms of space, battery life, intelligence, and power, which is rare among models of the same level.
Whether it will be popular in the end depends on pricing and configuration. If the starting price can really be controlled within 300,000, coupled with these advanced configurations, it will most likely attract many consumers. Moreover, if Zhiji can differentiate itself in smart driving software and provide a better user experience, it might be able to seize a piece of the market from Ideal and Wenjie.
The industry predicts that the price range of Zhiji LS8 is 26.32 million yuan, which is just between the ideal L7 and the Wenjie M7, forming a misaligned competition. As the launch date of the first quarter gets closer, more details of this car will be slowly announced. Friends who like it can pay more attention.
For consumers, as the market competition becomes more intense, we will benefit. There are more and more models to choose from with a budget of 300,000, and we can enjoy richer configurations. Whether the Zhiji LS8 can become a dark horse will have to wait and see its actual performance after it is launched. Do you think this car can beat the Ideal L7 and Wenjie M7?
