The iCar V23 is an electric multi-purpose vehicle developed jointly by Chery and Xiaomi's subsidiary Zhimi Technology, starting at $16,500, and is expected to launch in the Chinese market. According to leaked internal company documents, the iCar V23 may be sold abroad under the names Geely or Lucano, while the iCar brand will be sold in China under the Geely name.
iCar is a brand launched by Chery in 2023, unrelated to Apple, and currently features a single model, the iCar 03 crossover. However, Chery has not been bold enough to use the name iCar for global sales, leading to the introduction of the iCar 03 as Geely J6 outside of China.
According to leaked documents, the starting price for the iCar V23, which features dual-wheel drive and a range of 401 kilometers, is $16,500. Customers can reserve the vehicle for $275, with a final payment of $16,235. The vehicle is expected to debut this year. For comparison, the larger iCar 03 is priced between $15,100 and $23,400. The iCar V23 is positioned above the brand's first model.
The iCar V23 is the second model from this Chinese brand, developed jointly by Chery and Xiaomi's Zhimi Tech. The Zhimi team is responsible for product definition, planning, and engineering, while Chery handles manufacturing, supply chain, sales, delivery, and after-sales service. The two companies plan to launch six to eight new models in the next three years.
The iCar V23 follows the boxy design of the iCar 03, featuring round headlights, wide wheel arches, and hidden door handles. The overall shape of this model resembles a blend of Jeep Wrangler and Mercedes G-Class.
The iCar V23 is a compact vehicle with dimensions of 4220/1915/1845 mm (length/width/height) and a long wheelbase of 2730 mm. Chery positions this vehicle as an off-road car with four-wheel drive and a ground clearance of 212 mm. The iCar will also feature a dual-wheel drive version with a ground clearance of 206 mm.
Inside, the iCar V23 boasts a sleek design with a large screen and a three-spoke round steering wheel, with the gearshift located behind the steering wheel. Other features of this compact vehicle include millimeter-wave radars. There is no detailed information about the powertrain of the iCar V23, but it is expected to offer driving ranges of 300 kilometers and 500 kilometers.
Some online users have speculated that the V23 could feature an 80 kWh NMC battery from CATL, but this is unlikely given the vehicle's small size. The larger iCar 03 offers two battery options of 50.6 kWh and 65.7 kWh, with a range between 400 and 500 kilometers. The V23 with an 80 kWh battery could achieve up to 700 kilometers on a single charge.
