JSW Motors’s Chery iCar V23-based SUV spied testing

A heavily camouflaged test mule of the Chery iCar V23-based SUV was spied testing on our roads, suggesting that the model is on the cards for an India launch. This V23-based SUV will be the third product in JSW Motors’s model onslaught, comprising rebadged versions of Chinese brands such as Jetour, Jaecoo and iCar, all of which are sub-brands of Chery Automobile.

1. The iCar V23-based SUV is expected to be JSW Motors’s third launch 
2. Likely to arrive after the Jetour T2-based PHEV and the Jaecoo J5-based eSUV
3. Will be assembled at JSW Motors’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar plant

JSW Group is entering the Indian automotive market as a standalone brand while continuing its joint venture with MG. The iCar V23-based model will be an electric midsize SUV, likely to be introduced in 2028 after the Jetour T2-based PHEV and Jaecoo J5-based eSUV.  

JSW Motors’ Chery iCar V23-based SUV spied: What was spotted?

Test mule features an overall upright stance

The test mule in the spy shots has an overall boxy silhouette. The rear end, though camouflaged, reveals a protrusion on the tailgate – likely a storage compartment for charging cables. Lower down, one can also notice the G-Wagon-like horizontal tail-lights. Other noticeable details include flared wheel arches, a sidestep and a kinked rear window line. 

JSW Motors’ Chery iCar V23-based SUV: What do we know so far?

To likely have a sub-Rs 20 lakh starting price

Global-spec model used for representation.

Internationally, the iCar V23 is offered with two battery pack options: a 59.93kWh unit mated to a rear-mounted motor that delivers 136hp and 180Nm of torque and a larger 81.76kWh unit coupled with a dual-motor setup that produces 211hp and 292Nm of torque. The claimed CLTC range is 401km in the 59.93kWh guise and 510km for the 81.76kWh version. DC charging speed support ranges from 85kW to over 100kW. While it is not yet known which battery pack JSW will offer with the India-spec model, the dual-motor AWD version could prove advantageous, as it won’t have any rivals.

The China-spec version of the SUV has a unique and boxy stance, measures 4.2 metres in length and has a 2.7-metre-long wheelbase. Expect the rebadged Chery iCar V23 to have a starting price of under Rs 20 lakh, as it will be locally assembled at JSW Motors’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) facility. It will compete in the heavily contested electric midsize SUV segment comprising the Hyundai Creta Electric, Mahindra BE 6, Vinfast VF6, Maruti e Vitara, MG ZS EV, Toyota Ebella, Tata Curvv EV and the upcoming Tata Sierra EV.