Chery iCAR V23 2025 Launch: 301, 401, 501 Electric SUV with Long Range

On December 16, the Chery iCAR V23 was officially launched, with three variants available: the 301 Two-Wheel Drive Youth Edition, the 401 Two-Wheel Drive Advanced Edition, and the 501 Four-Wheel Drive High-End Edition. The 301 Two-Wheel Drive Youth Edition is expected to begin deliveries in March 2025. The new vehicle is positioned as a pure electric compact SUV, offering rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions. The pure electric range according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is 301 km, 401 km, and 501 km for the 301 Two-Wheel Drive Youth Edition, 401 Two-Wheel Drive Advanced Edition, and 501 Four-Wheel Drive High-End Edition, respectively.

In terms of appearance, the iCAR V23 adopts the popular "boxy" design, featuring retro elements such as round headlights and a clamshell front hood. The front grille offers three styles, with a closed panel inside bearing the "iCAR" logo, and a three-hole grille in the center with the "V23" emblem, making it quite distinctive. The front bumper has a rugged design with transparent shell millimeter-wave radars on both ends.

The mechanical door handles have a charging "breathing" light.

From the side, the iCAR V23 features an almost vertical A-pillar angle, hidden door handles, aluminum alloy side steps, smoked wheels, and extended wheel arches. The charging port is located at the rear right side, and the C/D pillars feature a blind window design with the "V23" logo.

At the rear, the iCAR V23 has a side-opening tailgate, with a "backpack" style external storage box. This storage box is connected to the interior, offering extra storage space. The car comes in six body colors: orange and dark gray are standard paint, while black, silver, and green are metallic finishes, and white is a pearl metallic finish.

In terms of dimensions, the iCAR V23 measures 4220 mm in length, 1915 mm in width, and 1845 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2735 mm. The approach angle is 42°/43°, departure angle is 40°/41°, water wading depth is 600 mm, and minimum ground clearance is 200 mm/210 mm. The iCAR V23 offers 19-inch and 21-inch wheel options, with 255/55 R19 AT tires available for the 19-inch wheels. Additionally, the new car’s front hood has expansion interfaces, and the roof can be optionally equipped with a luggage rack with a maximum weight capacity of 200 kg.

Inside the car, the iCAR V23 features black, white, and green interior color options, with a dashboard designed with straight lines and square air conditioning vents. Below the central screen, there are physical knobs for air conditioning and volume control. The new car's main and passenger floorboards are connected, with handles on the A/B pillars that echo the rugged style of the exterior, making it easier for passengers to enter and exit the vehicle.

The iCAR V23 is equipped with a 15.4-inch 2.5K central display screen powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip, supporting wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity. The vehicle also offers a new-style three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, a floating center console armrest, an expandable storage platform, and adopts a rotary gearshift and a dashboard-free design.

The iCAR V23 comes standard with voice recognition control, remote smartphone control, NFC card keys, automatic air conditioning, and front dual-layer laminated soundproof glass. As the entry-level model, the iCAR V23 301 Two-Wheel Drive Youth Edition comes with a limited-time gift worth 4,000 yuan, which includes a heat pump air conditioning system, fixed side steps, PM2.5 filter, and a smartphone Bluetooth key. After selecting these features, the difference in configuration between the 301 Two-Wheel Drive Youth Edition and the mid-range 401 Two-Wheel Drive Advanced Edition lies in heated exterior mirrors, fabric seats, 5G network, front seat power adjustment/heating, and battery capacity (range). The price difference between these two models is 10,000 yuan.

The basic configuration of the 401 Two-Wheel Drive Advanced Edition and the 501 Four-Wheel Drive High-End Edition is nearly identical, with the only difference being the wheel size and powertrain. Additionally, both models offer an optional Tech Comfort Package (for an extra 10,000 yuan), which includes features such as high-speed NOA, multiple driving assistance systems, an integrated dashcam, 360-degree panoramic imaging, and transparent chassis.

The car also offers several reserved interfaces for functional expansion, including interfaces for the front seatback structure, roof beam, central bracket, and an optional LCD display for the main driver.

In terms of power, the iCAR V23 is available with a single-motor rear-wheel drive or dual-motor four-wheel drive option. The 301 Two-Wheel Drive Youth Edition and 401 Two-Wheel Drive Advanced Edition are equipped with motors producing a peak power of 100 kW, paired with 47.28 kWh and 59.93 kWh lithium iron phosphate batteries from CATL, respectively, offering a CLTC pure electric range of 301 km and 401 km. The 501 Four-Wheel Drive High-End Edition features a front motor with a peak power of 55 kW and a rear motor with a peak power of 100 kW, paired with an 81.76 kWh ternary lithium battery from CATL, offering a CLTC pure electric range of 501 km. Additionally, the new car supports fast charging and 3.3 kW external discharge functions.