Chery boss confirms iCar model for Australia

Chery’s iCar model has been confirmed for launch in Australia, the place it should be a part of the Chinese language carmaker’s namesake model, in addition to Jaecoo and Omoda.

The information was confirmed Chery Worldwide president Zhang Guibling on the current Shanghai motor present, the place the brand new Chery-owned EV model introduced its three-model lineup comprising the 03, 03T and V23 compact electrical SUVs.

Whereas iCar was launched solely as an EV model in China in April 2023, Chery’s export boss indicated that Australia can even obtain extended-range electrical automobile (EREV – dubbed by iCar as REV) powertrains, which he acknowledged have been extra appropriate for the longer distance travelled by Australians.

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“iCar launched in China as an EV [brand]. However in a short time we are going to introduce REVs. The REV will handle vary anxiousness, so I’m certain Australian clients will respect it,” mentioned Mr Guibling.

“We are attempting to make a distinction. iCar is a very completely different model for Chery, and sooner or later we wish to present a unique expertise to completely different clients.”

No native launch timing or mannequin rollout plan was offered for the iCar model in Australia, however Mr Guibling confirmed EREV growth was already underway.

Nonetheless, iCar will stay a model title for China’s home market solely; for export markets together with Australia, Chery’s boxy journey automobile model will assume the title iCaur attributable to a trademark dispute.

It’s unclear whether or not Australians can be supplied all three iCar EVs presently offered in China, all of which borrow their bluff design cues from hardcore off-road icons just like the Jeep Wrangler, Land Rover Defender, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Suzuki Jimny.

The iCar 03 was first to launch in 2023, in each single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive varieties, providing a CLTC vary of as much as 501km from CATL battery capacities of as much as 69.7kWh, and that includes a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 9.2-inch digital instrument cluster and photo voltaic panels on the roof to extend vary.

It has since been rebadged for varied markets together with Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, with names such because the Jaecoo 6 and Chery J6.

The extra rugged, higher-performance iCar 03T adopted in 2024, bringing upgraded mechanicals, extra overt off-road styling together with wider wheel-arches, vertical LED lighting and further off-road gear.

The V23 is the most recent, smallest and most distinctive member of the iCar household. The compact four-seat electrical SUV features a 15.4-inch touchscreen with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 processor, superior driver help methods, and each DC fast-charging and vehicle-to-load (V2L) performance.

Priced from simply RMB 99,800 ($A21,425) in China, the retro-styled V23 attracted greater than 31,000 pre-orders inside hours of its launch in China.

The entry-level model – with a 100kW and 180Nm electrical motor, 47.3kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and roughly 301km of driving vary on the lenient CLTC cycle – can also be out there with a barely bigger 59.9kWh battery, able to delivering about 401km of driving vary.

Flagship V23s – powered by a dual-motor powertrain with 155kW and 292Nm, an 81.8kWh NMC battery and 501km of claimed driving vary – are priced from RMB139,800 (~A$31,000).

Regardless of the comparatively low outputs, iCar claims single-motor V23s can speed up from 0-50km/h in 4.8 seconds, whereas dual-motor variations take 3.5 seconds. 0-100km/h dash occasions haven’t been disclosed.

Measuring 4220mm lengthy, 1915mm broad and 1845mm tall on a 2730mm wheelbase, the V23 is bigger throughout each dimension than the Suzuki Jimny XL, and has an strategy angle of 43 levels, a departure angle of 41 levels and, in all-wheel drive guise, floor clearance of 212mm.

Single-motor variations are fitted with 19-inch wheels as commonplace, whereas dual-motor variations get 21-inch alloys. Below the pores and skin there’s five-link rear suspension, whereas consumers may also possibility off-road appropriate tyres.

Within the rear, the 2 second-row seats could be folded flat, offering as much as 774 litres of house.

CarExpert understands Chery Australia has been pushing for iCar’s native launch for a while, following its relaunch as a manufacturing facility distributor in 2023, when it launched the Omoda 5 small SUV.

It was adopted by the Tiggo 7 Professional mid-size SUV, and final yr the bigger Tiggo 8 Professional and the Tiggo 4 Professional gentle SUV, which has grow to be its top-seller and helped drive a 114 per cent gross sales enhance in 2024.

Chery gross sales have been up an extra 216 per cent within the first quarter of 2025, and may proceed to extend with the launch of extra new fashions together with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variations of Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8, plus a plugless hybrid model of the Tiggo 4 with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine.

There’s additionally a premium, three-row Tiggo 9 Hybrid on the best way and anticipated to reach within the fourth quarter of 2025 – presumably in each front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations.

The latter would provide extra efficiency from the identical 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine backed by an electrical motor and a bigger 18.3kWh battery.