A February 24 report by 36Kr Auto revealed that Chery's iCAR brand is developing a new model, the iCAR 05. This upcoming vehicle, reminiscent of the iconic Land Rover Defender, is anticipated to retail for approximately 150,000 RMB and is set to debut in the market's fourth quarter this year.

The report highlights that the iCAR 05 will not only come in a pure electric variant but also offer an extended-range version, equipped with advanced features such as Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) and automatic parking capabilities.

The iCAR brand made its official debut in April 2023, with Chery holding high aspirations for it, positioning it as a trailblazer for the group's 'inheritance and evolution'. Consequently, the brand is tailored for young consumers, evidenced by the simultaneous launch of two models, the iCAR GT and iCAR 03, at its inception.

However, it wasn't until February 2024, nearly a year later, that the iCAR 03 was officially launched as the flagship model in the Chery iCAR series. During this time, Chery promoted it as 'the first off-road vehicle for young people' and introduced six variants of the iCAR 03, priced between 109,800 RMB and 169,800 RMB.

iCAR 03 (Photo/Chery iCAR)

In August 2024, the iCAR 03T followed suit, offering two versions: a two-wheel drive long-range variant and a four-wheel drive long-range variant, with official prices ranging from 139,800 RMB to 149,800 RMB.

Perhaps to further solidify its presence in the market with a cost-effective pure electric A-class SUV and capture the attention of more young consumers, Chery introduced the iCAR V23, a pure electric small SUV priced between 99,800 RMB and 139,800 RMB, at the end of 2024.

Nevertheless, in 2024, the iCAR brand only managed to achieve a total sales volume of approximately 66,000 units. If the rumors of the iCAR 05's launch prove true, Chery's ambitions for the iCAR brand are evident: to establish a significant competitive edge over similar models by offering advanced intelligent driving assistance systems as standard, increase the popularity of extended-range versions to cater to diverse consumer needs, and ultimately drive rapid sales growth for the brand.