Chery's iCAR brand opened pre-orders for the V25 on 19 October 2026 at RMB 139,800 to 175,800 across four trims, with the official launch scheduled for November. It is a mid-size five-seat SUV with a boxy body, a 1.5-litre range extender, and a specification sheet aimed at buyers who want the look and clearance of an off-roader without the fuel consumption.
Two numbers explain why this car matters for export. The first is 1,240 km of combined range from a 33.67 kWh battery and a petrol generator, which is the configuration that works in markets where charging is unreliable. The second is 600 mm of wading depth and 197 mm of ground clearance, which are real figures for roads that flood.
Chery is also the Chinese manufacturer with the deepest export footprint in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, which changes the service question that dominates every other Chinese EV import. This article covers the versions, dimensions, off-road figures, powertrain, charging, cabin and what an importer should verify.
Price and Versions
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Pre-sale range | RMB 139,800 to 175,800 |
| Trims | Four |
| Powertrain | 1.5T range extender, 115 kW, plus electric motor |
| Drive options | Single motor, 185 kW; dual motor, 335 kW combined |
| Battery | 33.67 kWh lithium iron phosphate |
| CLTC electric range | 210 km and 200 km depending on drive layout |
| Combined range | Up to 1,240 km |
Note the anomaly in the range figures: the single-motor version is rated at 210 km and the dual-motor at 200 km of electric range from the same battery. That is normal - the second motor adds consumption - but it means the all-wheel-drive car will spend slightly more time running its generator.
Dimensions and Off-Road Figures
The V25 measures 4,636 mm long including the rear storage box, 1,920 mm wide and 1,855 mm tall, on a 2,820 mm wheelbase. The width and height are what give it the upright, square stance that sells in this segment; the length keeps it parkable.
The off-road numbers are the interesting part: 197 mm of ground clearance, 600 mm of wading depth, a 30-degree approach angle, a 28-degree departure angle and a 17-degree breakover angle. None of those is a hardcore rock-crawler figure, but together they describe a car that will handle gravel, mud, flooded streets and badly broken asphalt without grounding.
For buyers in West Africa, Southeast Asia and parts of Central Asia, the 600 mm wading figure is the one that matters commercially. A car that can cross standing water after heavy rain is a car that keeps working, and that is a selling point no specification table from a European brand offers at this price.
Powertrain and Consumption
The range extender is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine rated at 115 kW. It generates electricity rather than driving the wheels. The single-motor version produces 185 kW and reaches 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds; the dual-motor version produces 335 kW combined and does the same in 5.8 seconds. Top speed is limited to 180 km/h.
An 8.5-second car is the sensible choice for most markets. It is quick enough for overtaking, and the smaller motor draws less current, which in a range-extended vehicle translates into less generator running and lower consumption at sustained speed.
The combination of a 33.67 kWh battery and a small generator is a deliberate compromise. It is large enough for a week of city driving on electricity and small enough to keep the car affordable. The cost appears at sustained highway speed, where the generator has to run continuously to hold the state of charge - the fuel consumption in that condition is higher than a conventional hybrid of the same size.
Charging and Power Output
DC charging is rated at 90 kW, and the quoted 30 to 80 per cent time is 15 minutes. For a 33.67 kWh pack that is a realistic claim and useful on a long journey: a 15-minute stop covers another 100 to 120 km of electric running.
Vehicle-to-load output is 6.6 kW, which is enough to run tools on a site, a fridge and lights at a market stall, or a domestic circuit during an outage. In markets where grid supply is unreliable, that feature is worth more than several items of interior trim, and it should be part of the sales argument rather than a footnote.
Cabin and Technology
The cabin uses a 15.4-inch 2.5K floating central screen running on Qualcomm's QCM8538 chipset with 5G connectivity, and it keeps physical buttons for the functions drivers use most - a decision that will read as sensible to any buyer who has used a touchscreen-only car on a bad road.
There are 41 storage locations, a 998-litre boot that extends to 1,549 litres with the rear seats folded, and a front passenger seat with a leg rest, heating, ventilation and massage on higher trims.
Driver assistance uses Horizon Robotics' Journey 6P chip at 560 TOPS with the Falcon 700+ system, supporting urban and highway navigation and automated parking; lidar is optional on the top trim. This is where the export caveat appears: a 560 TOPS system with mapping-dependent urban navigation will deliver only its basic functions in a market without mapping coverage, so the hardware should not be sold as a feature package.
How It Compares
| Factor | iCAR V25 | Petrol compact SUV at a similar price |
|---|---|---|
| Electric-only range | 200 to 210 km CLTC | None |
| Combined range | Up to 1,240 km | 600 to 700 km on a tank |
| Wading depth | 600 mm | Typically 300 to 450 mm |
| Vehicle-to-load | 6.6 kW | Not available |
| Charging dependence | Optional; petrol generator on board | None |
The comparison is the case for a range extender in an emerging market: it delivers the electric running costs where electricity is available and the petrol independence where it is not, and it does so without asking the buyer to bet on infrastructure that may not arrive.
Export Checks
- Brand presence. Chery has distribution in most African, Middle Eastern and Latin American markets, which is the strongest service argument of any Chinese brand. Confirm that the local distributor will service a parallel-imported iCAR.
- Handedness. Left-hand drive. Right-hand-drive markets such as Kenya and South Africa cannot be supplied from this source.
- Certification. Destination approval is required regardless of the Chinese type approval; Gulf markets need GSO/SASO, EAEU markets need TR CU conformity, and most African markets require a pre-shipment conformity inspection.
- Charging. The Chinese GB/T connector will not fit local AC or DC infrastructure. Confirm the export charging configuration before ordering.
- Fuel quality. The generator is a turbocharged engine with modern emission control; high-sulphur fuel will affect it. Establish the fuel specification in the destination.
- Landed cost. A RMB 139,800 car can double at destination once freight, duty, VAT and certification are added. Price the whole chain before quoting a retail figure.
Our SUV range covers the models we source, and the GCC certification guide sets out the Gulf approval route these cars need before sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the iCAR V25 cost?
RMB 139,800 to 175,800 at pre-sale across four trims. Final prices are confirmed at the November launch, and export prices add freight, duty and certification.
Is it electric or petrol?
It is a range-extended electric vehicle: the wheels are driven by electric motors and a 1.5-litre engine generates electricity.
What is the real range?
About 200 to 210 km on electricity per the CLTC cycle, and up to 1,240 km combined with a full tank. Expect 30 per cent less electric range in real mixed driving.
Can it handle flooded roads?
The manufacturer quotes 600 mm of wading depth, which is well above the 300 to 450 mm typical of a petrol compact SUV.
Can I export it?
Yes, left-hand-drive markets can be supplied, subject to destination certification. Right-hand-drive markets cannot be served from this source.
Which version should an importer order?
The single-motor version. It is quicker to charge in relative terms, uses less fuel at speed, and is cheaper; the dual-motor car is only worth it where traction genuinely matters.
Sources
1. Yiche - November 2026 new-model preview with iCAR V25 pre-sale prices, dimensions, off-road figures, powertrain and charging data - news.yiche.com
2. Sina - overview of nine models due to launch or debut in November 2026 - k.sina.cn
3. Chery iCAR official website - model range and technical information - icar.com.cn
Prices and specifications are pre-launch figures published for the Chinese market and may change at the official launch in November 2026. Export availability, certification and landed cost must be confirmed for each destination. Nothing in this article is a quotation.
