iCAUR has officially confirmed that the new V27 Adventure SUV will arrive in South Africa in the fourth and final quarter of 2026.
The newest member of the Chery family, iCAUR, is set to expand its local catalogue within the next few weeks with the introduction of its flagship SUV, featuring an electrified powertrain.
As a reminder, iCAUR launched in our market earlier this year with its first two vehicles, the V23 and the 03T SUVs.
As its name suggests, the V27 is a much larger and more powerful model than the V23. While the company has yet to announce pricing, the new car is expected to take the top spot in the iCAUR stable.
“The V27 is tailored to the practical needs of South African SUV drivers,” said Shannon Gahagan, Head of Brand and Marketing at iCAUR South Africa.
“It delivers full electric capability for the weekday commute alongside the freedom to take on long trips without charging delays. Combined with all-wheel-drive capability and strong performance, it offers a well-rounded option for the segment.”
What to expect
The V27 is a range-extender electric vehicle (REEV), which is a type of hybrid that uses a combustion engine as a generator rather than a direct power source.
REEVs are uncommon in South Africa, though the segment has slowly expanded over the last year with the introduction of models from brands like Leapmotor and Changan.
The idea behind a REEV is that a petrol engine is used to charge a battery that powers one or more electric motors.
The result is a car that feels like a pure electric model to drive, while offering a range on par with a traditional petrol model.
In the case of the V27, a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol plant serves as a generator to feed a 34.31kWh battery and two e-motors.
At the front is a 150kW motor, while a separate 185kW motor sits over the rear axle. Together, the e-motors generate a substantial total of 335kW and 505Nm.
This gives the SUV an all-wheel-drive configuration with impressive performance, as it can sprint from 0 to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds, putting it in the same league as a hot hatch.
When the “generator” isn’t in use, the iCAUR has an electric range of 150km on the NEDC cycle, which jumps to over 1,000km when the engine kicks in.
It also supports 6.6kW AC charging and DC fast charging, the latter of which can top up the cells from 30% to 80% in 13 minutes.
Furthermore, the V27 has V2L (vehicle to load) charging, meaning the battery can be used to power external appliances.
The vehicle itself is quite large, clocking in at a length of 5,045mm, width of 1,976mm, and height of 1,894mm, with a 2,900mm wheelbase.
Design-wise, all of iCAUR’s models use a boxy retro-futuristic aesthetic meant to evoke the spirit of old 4×4 SUVs.
A few of the features confirmed thus far include a 15.4-inch central touchscreen, an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster, a 15-speaker audio system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 50W wireless phone charger.
It will also come with a dual glass roof, leather upholstery, and electric front seats with ventilation and memory settings.
Safety and assistance features include adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic braking, a 540-degree panoramic camera, and automated parking assistance.
More information on the new iCAUR V27, such as its pricing and model line-up, will be announced closer to its release.
iCAUR V27
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