Chery’s latest car brand to unveil 2 new SUVs in South Africa this weekend

iCAUR has announced that it will unveil two new cars, the V27 and the 03T REEV, at the Festival of Motoring in South Africa later this week, taking place between Friday, 28 and Sunday, 30 August.

The Festival of Motoring is the country’s largest annual auto show and is set to take place this weekend at the Kyalami Raceway in Gauteng, giving dozens of car brands an opportunity to showcase their upcoming products.

One of these companies is iCAUR, one of two new brands under the Chery Group that launched in South Africa earlier this year, the other being Lepas.

Lepas made its debut in April with the L4 crossover, while iCAUR arrived in May with two SUVs, the 03T and the V23.

iCAUR is arguably the most unique of all the Chery brands to hit our market in recent years, as it specializes in retro-styled boxy SUVs with new-energy-vehicle (NEV) powertrains.

Both vehicles are fully electric and feature one or two electric motors, depending on the specification. The V23 is the Chinese carmaker’s entry-level model, while the 03T is a mid-range option.

As you may have already guessed from its name, the new V27 will serve as the brand’s flagship product. The new 03T REEV, meanwhile, is an alternative to the existing battery-electric 03T, combining electric motors with a petrol engine.

“iCAUR South Africa will unveil the V27 to the public at this year’s Festival of Motoring, opening pre-orders for the new flagship as it makes its first local appearance,” said the company.

“The reveal is part of a larger showing for iCAUR, which will also bring the 03T REEV to Kyalami and announce a long-term partnership with Red Bull.”

“A busy schedule of joint events is already planned for the coming months, with details to be released in stages.”

What to expect

The V27 will sit at the top of iCAUR’s local catalogue once it goes on sale in South Africa.

It is considerably larger than the V23, measuring 5,045mm in length compared to the latter’s 4,220mm.

Its size is the main visual distinction from the V23, as it uses the same “Future Classic” design language with a boxy retro SUV shape, large flared wheel arches, and circular LED headlights.

A few of the features confirmed for the V27 thus far include a dual panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, ambient lighting, and a large floating infotainment screen.

What really sets the V27 apart is its powertrain, as it is not a pure electric model. Instead it features a Range Extended Electric Vehicle (REEV) setup with a petrol engine.

REEVs are a fairly uncommon type of hybrid where the combustion engine does not drive the car directly. Instead it acts as a generator to power the batteries that, in turn, power the electric motors.

On the V27, a 1.5-litre engine charges a 34.4kWh battery that connects to two e-motors, one at the front, and one at the back.

The two motors combine to generate a substantial 339kW, letting the SUV accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in five seconds.

The advantage of a REEV is that it drives like a pure EV while offering a much better range than one that relies solely on a battery.

Case in point, the iCAUR has a battery range of 150km, but with the engine acting as a generator, it has a total range of over 1,000km.

“The V27 is a significant vehicle for us, but we did not want its first public appearance to be a static reveal,” said Shannon Gahagan, National Brand and Marketing Manager at iCAUR, and OMODA & JAECOO South Africa.

“Festival of Motoring gives people time to see the car properly, spend time with the range and get behind the wheel. Our partnership with Red Bull means that engagement will continue well beyond the weekend at Kyalami.”

The 03T REEV uses the same type of engine as the V27, though its specifications will only be announced at a later date. It will also be displayed at the festival this weekend.

Pricing for both cars will be announced closer to their respective launch windows.

iCAUR V27