If Chery-owned carmaker can get the pricing right, this all-electric could carve out a niche.
The V23 will be iCaur South Africa’s first model the Chary-owned carmaker introduce in early 2026. And The Citizen Motoring got behind the wheel of one, in an early preview drive, in Wuhu China.
The iCaur V23 is offered in three drivetrain configurations. The entry level model uses a 47.28 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery to power a single rear axle mounted permanent-magnet synchronous motor that in turn produces 100kW of power and 180Nm of torque. The claimed range according to the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC) is 301km.
The mid-spec V23 model retains the 100kW/180Nm motor, but the battery size is increased to 59.93kWh. This means that the CLTC range goes up to 401km.
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iCaur V23 has plenty of punch
The top-of-the-range spec V23 offers a dual-motor all-wheel-drive set-up with an electric motor being added to the front axle. This bumps the power up by 55kW to 155kW and the torque up to 292 Nm. A 69.77 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack does duty and this translates into a range of 501km under the CLTC test cycle.
The obvious benefits for the iCaur V23 i-AWD are more grip and better performance. Both of which The Citizen Motoring got to experience during our media drive at Chery’s International test facility.
I saw a claim online of 3.5 seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint and a top speed of 140km/h for the iCaur V23 i-AWD. While I would need to test this claim when the car comes to South Africa to believe it, I can tell you that the iCaur V23 i-AWD bolted off the line. It was by far one of the quickest and most nimble cars we tested on the day.
Lots of quirky little things
The iCaur V23 is said to reimagine urban mobility through a playful, modular design. I think the retro styling and funky colour options back this up 100%. You also get quirky little things like removable bumpers, quick-release fenders and roof-rack interfaces that can be swapped out without tools. And also an intelligent split tailgate, with integrated power outlets, that doubles as a workbench or picnic table. Transformation from a weekday commuter to a weekend explorer can be done in minutes it is said.
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You see plenty V23’s on the road in China, and I feel that if iCaur can get the pricing right on the car, they will carve out a niche for themselves in South Africa. Full spec and pricing will be announced closer to the car’s local launch date.
*Mark Jones is in China as a guest of Omoda & Jaecoo South Africa
