Chery's new iCAR brand launches 1st EV model iCAR 03, prices start at $15,260

The iCAR 03 has a boxy look, and Chery said it's a car for young people. (Image credit: iCAR) Chery's new electric vehicle (EV) brand, iCAR, has rolled out its first model, the iCAR 03 electric SUV, to target a younger demographic, following the April 2023 launch of the brand. Chery launched the iCAR 03 on February 28, a battery electric vehicle (BEV) with a boxy look, which the automaker said is a vehicle for young people. The model is available in six options, three single-motor and three dual-motor, with starting prices of RMB 109,800 ($15,260), RMB 119,800, RMB 129,800, RMB 139,800, RMB 159,800, and RMB 169,800. It has a length, width and height of 4,406 mm, 1,910 mm and 1,715 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,715 mm. The single-motor rear-wheel drive versions of the iCAR 03 have a maximum power of 135 kW and a maximum torque of 184 Nm. The dual-motor four-wheel drive versions have a total power of 205 kW and a maximum torque of 279 Nm, and can sprint from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.5 seconds. Its battery pack is a lithium iron phosphate battery from CATL, offering three CLTC range options of 401km, 472km and 501km. The top-trip model of the iCAR 03 is available with an optional smart driving from drone maker DJI, with purely visual high-level smart driving capabilities. Customers who order the model before May 31 can receive benefits including up to RMB 3,000 trade-in subsidy and a free charging pile and installation. Chery officially launched the iCAR brand on April 7, 2023, as the group's first independent EV brand. Aimed at fashion-conscious young people, iCAR would create a third mobile mobility space that understands users, Chery said at the brand's launch. iCAR's products will cover sedans and SUVs, targeting a price range of RMB 150,000-300,000, Chery said last year. On top of the iCAR 03, the new brand has a concept car called the iCAR GT, which was showcased at the Shanghai auto show in late April 2023. (The iCAR GT concept on display at the April 2023 Shanghai auto show. Image credit: CnEVPost) Interestingly, the iCAR brand name is similar to the naming of products from Apple, which has been reported to have abandoned a decade-long EV manufacturing effort. "Don't worry Apple fans, iCAR is made by us," the brand wrote on Weibo yesterday. ($1 = RMB 7.1948) Chinese EV makers' CEOs react to Apple's reported ditching of EV effort