Chery iCar V23 Revealed As China’s All-Electric Answer to the Defender

The all-new Chery iCar V23 was unveiled in China as the all-electric alternative to the Land Rover Defender.

Chinese automaker Chery has plenty of sub-brands under its arm, ranging from the off-road-focused Jaecoo to the luxury-oriented Exeed and many more. This week, Chery’s EV-focused sub-brand iCar launched its second-over model in China, known as the iCar V23.

Developed in collaboration with Xiaomi-owned Zhimi Technology, the iCar V23 is a pretty interesting EV SUV with some real off-roading capabilities. So much so that iCar even took inspiration from some of the world’s most iconic off-roading SUV models like the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class in designing the V23.

The iCar V23 design is truly the amalgamation of some of the world's most iconic off-roading SUVs.

For starters, the V23 comes in a typical boxy SUV body style, featuring both EV-specific design features wrapped in an off-road-ready package. Key design features present here include its front face with rounded LED headlights reminiscent of the classic Toyota Land Cruiser, flared-out wheel arches, flushed door handles, plus a flat tailgate with a small storage box mounted on it, resembling a spare tyre.

Despite its Defender-inspired design, the iCar V23 is actually quite small compared to the models it aspires to be, measuring 4,220 MM long, 1,915 MM wide, and 1,845 MM tall, with a wheelbase of 2,730 MM.

The iCar V23 cabin is laden with the latest tech bits and design. (Photo credit: CarNewsChina)

Typical of any modern EV nowadays, the iCar V23 gets a pretty tech-heavy cabin, featuring a large infotainment display on its front dash, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip. Also present here are several rectangular elements to match its boxy exterior facade, which includes the A/C vents, as well as the steering wheel spoke design.

As of now, Chery has yet to reveal the detailed specifications for the iCar V23, with numerous Chinese automotive publications reporting that it will come in both single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD forms. According to CarNewsChina, the iCar V23 will get its juice from CATL battery packs, which allows the EV SUV to have a maximum EV range of up to 500 KM for the RWD model and 400 KM for the AWD.

The all-new Chery iCar V23 is expected to make its first public appearance at the upcoming 2024 Beijing Auto Show, with deliveries set to commence later in the second half of the year. Aside from the iCar V23, Chery’s partnership with Zhimi Technology will also see the Chinese automaker debut six to eight new models over the next few years.