iCaur V23

iCaur V23 previewed in Malaysia ahead of confirmed launch – off-roader EV with up to 211 PS, 550 km CLTC

In Cars, Electric Cars in Malaysia, iCaur, Local News / By Gerard Lye / 8 May 2025 2:41 pm / 1 comment

In addition to the iCaur 03 and its more rugged sibling, the 03T, another electric vehicle (EV) from Chery’s sub-brand that has been earmarked for Malaysia is this, the V23. The EV is currently being previewed at this year’s Malaysia Autoshow (MAS 2025) in left-hand drive form, which you’ll know by the ‘iCar’ badge (the brand is known as that in China).

The V23 was revealed in its home market in April last year and is available with a rear electric motor rated at 136 PS (134 hp or 100 kW) and 180 Nm of torque. This is powered by either a 59.93-kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that provides a range of 401 km following China’s CLTC standard, or 81.76-kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) unit that offers up to 550 km.

For something with more oomph, the V23 can also be had with all-wheel drive that adds a front electric motor with 75 PS (74 hp or 55 kW) and 112 Nm for a total system output of 211 PS (208 hp or 155 kW) and 292 Nm. AWD variants are only offered with the 81.76-kWh NMC battery and provides a range of up to 501 km.

Comparing the V23 to the 03, the former occupies a smaller footprint by being 4,220 mm long, 1,915 mm wide and 1,845 mm tall. However, its wheelbase of 2,735 mm is slightly more than the 03’s 2,715 mm, with the 03’s other dimensions being a length of 4,406 mm, width of 1,910 mm and height of 1,715 mm.

As for pricing, the V23 in China retails for between 109,800 and 149,800 yuan (about RM65k and RM89k). The 03 is in the same ballpark with a price range from 109,800 and 139,800 yuan (RM65k and RM83k).

While there’s no indication how much the V23 will cost when it goes on sale here, the 03 could provide us with some insight. iCaur Malaysia has already confirmed that it is accepting registrations of interest for the 03, with two variants being offered that have an estimated price of RM145,000 and RM155,000 respectively.

If we extrapolate based on the pricing of both models in China, the V23 should be priced similarly to the 03. Would you choose this over the 03? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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iCaur 03 and V23 to debut at Malaysia Autoshow 2025 – off-roader EVs with up to 279 PS, 550 km CLTC range

In Cars, iCaur, Local News / By Gerard Lye / 2 May 2025 9:53 am / 2 comments

iCar V23

The iCaur brand will make its official debut at next week’s Malaysia Autoshow 2025 (MAS 2025), with both the 03 and V23 set to be the models displayed at the event. This is according to social media posts by iCaur Malaysia and comes after it was announced last week that the Chery sub-brand will be coming our way.

If you haven’t heard of iCaur before, it is essentially Chery’s iCar renamed for export markets. First debuting at this year’s Auto Shanghai, iCaur’s line-up includes not just pure electric vehicles (EVs) but also range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs). Over the next three years, Chery plans to launch the brand in over 100 countries.

The newest of the two iCaur models is the V23, which was revealed in China in April last year. Rear-wheel drive variants of the off-roader SUV are equipped with an electric motor rated at 136 PS (134 hp or 100 kW) and 180 Nm of torque.

iCar 03 (formerly Jaecoo J6)

This is powered by either a 59.93-kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that provides a range of 401 km following China’s CLTC standard, or 81.76-kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) unit that offers up to 550 km.

The V23 is also available with all-wheel drive, which adds an electric motor at the front with 75 PS (74 hp or 55 kW) and 112 Nm for a total system output of 211 PS (208 hp or 155 kW) and 292 Nm. AWD variants can only be had with the NMC battery and has a range of up to 501 km. In its home market, the V23 retails for between 109,800 and 149,800 yuan (about RM65k and RM89k).

As for the 03, it was revealed as the brand’s first model in April 2023 and is relatively larger in size compared to the V23, measuring in at 4,406 mm long, 1,910 mm wide, 1,715 mm tall and with a wheelbase of 2,715 mm. By comparison, the V23 is 4,220 mm long, 1,915 mm wide, 1,845 mm tall and its wheelbase spans 2,735 mm.

The 03 in China sells for between 109,800 and 139,800 yuan (RM65k and RM83k) and is also available with RWD or AWD, both with LFP batteries. The RWD option has an electric motor serving up 184 PS (181 hp or 135 kW) and 220 Nm, with battery capacities being either 50.63 (401 km) or 65.69 kWh (501 km).

AWD variants gain a front electric motor rated at 95 PS (94 hp or 70 kW) and 165 Nm for a total system output of 279 PS (275 hp or 205 kW) and 385 Nm, with 65.69- (472 km) or 69.77-kWh (501 km) LFP batteries. A more rugged version of the 03 called the 03T is also offered and has a different appearance but maintains the same powertrain options.

The 03 will technically be making its second appearance at the Malaysia Autoshow, albeit with its original name. Previously, the EV was previewed as the Jaecoo J6 at last year’s event in May. Which of the two iCaur models are you looking forward to the most?

GALLERY: iCar V23 at Auto Shanghai 2025

GALLERY: Jaecoo J6 (iCar 03) preview in Malaysia

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iCaur to debut in Malaysia in May 2025 – Chery’s iCar sub-brand renamed; V23 and 03 EVs launching soon?

In Cars, iCaur, Local News / By Gerard Lye / 25 April 2025 1:19 am / 5 comments

iCaur V23

The iCar brand is coming to Malaysia and will make its debut at next month’s Malaysia Autoshow 2025 (MAS 2025). However, the Chinese brand, which under Chery’s umbrella, will not be known as iCar but will instead be called iCaur in our part of the world.

The iCaur brand was formally introduced as this year’s Auto Shanghai, with the first global model announced being the V23. As part of the brand’s expansion plans, the line-up will not only include pure electric vehicles (EVs) but also range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs). Malaysia is just one of over 100 countries that iCaur will enter in the next three years, with over 2,000 service and sales centres planned worldwide.

The V23 is not new to China, as it was first revealed back in April last year. In its home market, the electric off-roader is available in rear- or all-wheel drive configurations. RWD variants are equipped with an electric motor rated at 136 PS (134 hp or 100 kW) and 180 Nm of torque.

iCaur V23

Powering the electric motor is either a 59.93-kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that provides a range of 401 km following China’s CLTC standard, or 81.76-kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) unit that offers up to 550 km.

Meanwhile, the AWD variant is only available with the NMC battery and has a range of up to 501 km. This variant adds an electric motor at the front serving up 75 PS (74 hp or 55 kW) and 112 Nm, which contributes to a total system output of 211 PS (208 hp or 155 kW) and 292 Nm. Pricing for the V23 ranges from 109,800 to 149,800 yuan (about RM66k to RM90k).

The iCar line-up in China also includes the 03, which is also known as the Jaecoo J6 that was previewed in Malaysia in May 2024. The 03 retails for between 109,800 and 139,800 yuan (RM66k and RM84k) and is also available in rear- or all-wheel drive configurations, all with a LFP battery.

iCar V23 at Auto Shanghai 2025

The RWD option has an electric motor serving up 184 PS (181 hp or 135 kW) and 220 Nm, with battery capacities being either 50.63 (401 km) or 65.69 kWh (501 km). As for the AWD variants, they gain a front electric motor rated at 95 PS (94 hp or 70 kW) and 165 Nm for a total system output of 279 PS (275 hp or 205 kW) and 385 Nm. The AWD variants can be had with either 65.69- (472 km) or 69.77-kWh (501 km) LFP batteries. There’s also the 03T with the same powertrains but with a more rugged appearance to stay in line with the V23.

In the official release, it isn’t mentioned what iCar models will be shown at MAS 2025. “Following its global debut at the Shanghai Motor Show 2023, iCaur is now set to make its official launch at the Malaysia Autoshow 2025 with a comprehensive preview of its vibrant EV lineup,” read the release.

We expect the 03/J6 to be at the event given the sighting of a unit undergoing testing on local roads earlier this month. Perhaps it will be joined by the V23 at the show? We’ll find out more soon, so look forward to our coverage of MAS 2025 next month. In the meantime, are you excited for the arrival of iCar/iCaur vehicles in Malaysia?

GALLERY: iCar V23 at Auto Shanghai 2025

GALLERY: Jaecoo J6 (iCar 03) preview in Malaysia

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iCar V23 in Shanghai – compact EV off-roader with up to 211 PS, 550 km CLTC range; Malaysia-bound?

In Cars, Chery, International News / By Gerard Lye / 23 April 2025 10:31 pm / 3 comments

This is the iCar V23, an electric vehicle (EV) that was jointly developed by Chery and Xiaomi’s subsidiary Zhimi Technology (also known as Smartmi Tech). In China, the V23, which is present at this year’s Auto Shanghai, is priced between 109,800 and 149,800 yuan (about RM66k and RM90k) and is available with either rear- or all-wheel drive.

RWD variants are equipped with an electric motor rated at 136 PS (134 hp or 100 kW) and 180 Nm of torque. Power for the electric motor is provided by either a 59.93-kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) or 81.76-kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery. The LFP battery provides a range of 401 km following China’s generous CLTC standard, while the NMC option bumps it up to 550 km.

As for the AWD variant, it can only be had with the NMC battery. This variant adds an electric motor at the front serving up 75 PS (74 hp or 55 kW) and 112 Nm, with the total system output being 211 PS (208 hp or 155 kW) and 292 Nm. The increased grunt does diminish range, which is up to 501 km. Both variants come with a vehicle-to-load (V2L) system capable of delivering 3.3 kW, and DC fast charging will get the batteries from a 30-80% state of charge in about 30 minutes.

iCar doesn’t provide 0-100 km/h times on their official website, but we do get 0-50 km/h times, which are 4.8 and 3.5 seconds for the RWD and AWD respectively. The V23 has a kerb weight of between 1,710 and 1,825 kg, and it measures 4,220 mm long, 1,915 mm wide, 1,845 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,735 mm.

While the performance is nothing to shout about, the V23 appeals in other ways. As a start, it looks rather attractive to those who find rugged-looking off-roaders appealing. The company isn’t shy when mentioning influences for the V23’s design and “saluted classics” like the Toyota Landcruiser, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Land Rover Defender on stage.

In following these cars, the V23 is has minimum ground clearance of 200 mm, a wading depth of 600 mm, an approach angle of 42 degrees and a departure angle of 40 degrees.

The retro-inspired design is also meant to be modular and highly customisable, with the company showcasing a variety of accessories and concepts so buyers can make their V23 look exactly how they want it. You want a bed at the back? Remove the rear cab and slap on some sports bars. You want it to look even more retro? Change out the grille.

This modularity extends into the cabin, which looks utilitarian and has various types of mounting points for things like a phone mount, extra cupholders and more. The dashboard is as simple as they come: upright and with a large 15.4-inch touchscreen serving as the digital instrument cluster and access to the infotainment system.

In keeping with the rugged theme, there are large dials and toggle switches, the latter including two that are ready to be linked to auxiliaries like extra lights or winches. As you’d expect, the V23 comes with a suite of sensors that enable a range of ADAS functions like autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and more.

The V23 is iCar’s second model after the 03, the latter also known as the Jaecoo J6 that was previewed in Malaysia last year. The 03/J6 was spotted here last month, which suggests that iCar vehicles are coming our way. Are you hoping the V23 is launched here too?

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