The rules of the game have changed. We were all waiting for Mahindra to release the electric Thar, but a boxy SUV with camouflage was seen at the ARAI facility in Pune. It’s just what the Indian off-road community didn’t realize it needed. JSW Motors brought the Chery iCar V23 to our shores. If the testing goes as planned, it will be released in late 2026 or early 2027, which will change the plans of every “lifestyle” SUV customer.
This is what really matters
I’ve been following the worldwide EV market for a long time, but seeing a tough, “mini-Defender” style electric car being tested in India is a new experience for me. This is not just another soft-roader for driving around malls in Gurgaon or Bangalore. The iCar V23 is a boxy, purpose-built vehicle that looks like a high-tech baby between a Land Rover Defender and a Toyota FJ Cruiser.
JSW Motors isn’t just bringing in a car, they’re marketing it as a direct competitor to the big names in lifestyle. If you’ve been thinking about getting a 4×4 but don’t want to pay excessive gas expenditures, you should pay attention to this.
To be clear, the iCar V23 does not strive to seem like a futuristic, smooth car like most electric vehicles. It’s shaped like a box. It’s standing up. It almost looks like a small off-roader.
- Square wheel arches
- Bonnet flat
- Headlights in a circle
- Strong lines on the shoulders
This style will stick out right away in traffic in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, where small SUVs are the most common type of car.
This is a big deal. In India, design alone may sell lifestyle SUVs. Check out how the Mahindra Thar altered the game.
The V23 doesn’t seem soft. It looks sure of itself.
Fully Electric – But With Real-World Focus
The iCar V23 is an all-electric SUV. It is not a model that has been changed from gasoline.
Chery is selling a number of different batteries in China, all of which are said to have ranges that are good for daily use in cities and suburbs. We don’t know all the details about the final India-spec version yet, but the way it’s being marketed shows that it’s aimed at average people, not just tech fans.
This is what Indian users really care about:
- Reliability of city range
- Support for fast charging
- Safety of batteries
- Cost of ownership over time
Charging infrastructure in cities like Hyderabad and Pune would be able to handle it adequately if it ever comes to India. Tier-2 cities still need to improve their networks.
The Design – It’s All About the “Road Presence”
We buy SUVs in India for how they appear, and the V23 nails it. It’s 4.2 meters long, which is the perfect length. It’s bigger than a Jimny but smaller and easier to move around than a full-sized Scorpio-N.
The Face: Those round LED headlights aren’t just old-fashioned; they give it a “soul” that most sleek EVs don’t have. It has that old Toyota Land Cruiser J40 appeal.
The Stance: This car is made to climb over objects that would make a regular electric sedan cry, with an approach angle of 43 degrees and a departure angle of 41 degrees.
The “Spare” Box: Instead of a spare wheel, there is a square storage box at the back. It has a lot of personality, works well, and shouts “lifestyle.”
Interior: Clean, Minimal, Modern
The V23 has a sleek EV arrangement on the inside:
- Big touchscreen in the middle
- Display for digital drivers
- Very few physical buttons
- A flat, airy dashboard
It looks young, not like a luxury item. This SUV is definitely meant for people who have never owned an electric vehicle before and work in cities.
The subject of the cabin seems to be about living. It doesn’t want to be as good as high-end German interiors. It was made to look and feel current and sleek.
This is significant for Discover readers because the experience inside is more important than the brand’s history.
Compact Size = Urban Advantage
The V23 is a small SUV, according to what has been said.
That means:
- Simple to park
- Good for daily trips to the office
- Good for narrow streets in India
Let me be clear: tiny SUVs sell well in India because they are roomy and easy to drive. This size group is smart for Chery if they ever think about entering India.
In Bengaluru traffic or Old Delhi lanes, big SUVs can be a headache. Small electric SUVs are useful.
It’s Targeting Young Buyers
Under Chery, the iCar sub-brand is an electric brand aimed at young people.
This SUV isn’t just for families who buy cars. It’s made for:
- Young workers
- People who explore cities
- People who are buying an SUV for the first time
- Customers that like technology
You can easily see the brand strategy: lifestyle over heritage.
Brands like Tata and Mahindra have previously shown that SUVs for young people work in India. The V23 is getting into that emotional space.
Off-Road Look, But Real Capability?
This is where things get real.
The iCar V23 looks tough. But right now, it’s more of a lifestyle urban SUV than a serious off-roader.
This means:
- Good clearance from the ground
- Strong visual presence
- Probably good traction systems
But it’s not made to ascend trails in the Himalayas.
This is a big deal. A lot of buyers mix up design with function. The V23 looks more like it would be good for city adventures than for intense off-roading.
Will It Come to India?
There is no official word yet on when India will launch.
But the Indian demand for electric vehicles is growing quickly:
- A strong push for EVs in Delhi NCR
- Maharashtra’s state subsidies
- More and more people are interested in lifestyle EV SUVs.
If priced aggressively (hypothetically around ₹18–25 lakh range if localized), it could sit against compact electric SUVs in India.
But the price will be the most important element.
What really matters is localization and the service network.
Even an excellent product has trouble without effective after-sales support.
So…
The JSW-Chery iCar V23 is interesting, even if classic shapes are the most popular. Its simple design and 43° approach angle, which many “lifestyle” SUVs don’t have, are its best features. If it gets to India in one piece, the 510 km (AWD) range is the best in its class.
The “all-screen” interface, which doesn’t include a driver’s display, will be its major flaw and will divide Indian shoppers. The JSW-Chery partnership can only work if they can build a service network from the ground up that gives customers the same peace of mind as Mahindra or Tata.
In the end, JSW needs to charge between ₹18 Lakh and ₹24 Lakh to be successful. It links a boring electric crossover with a robust 4×4.
The best buyer is a city worker in Bengaluru or Pune who wants a fun car but spends most of their time stuck in traffic. For the “early adopter” who wishes to stand out at the charging station with a mini-G-Wagon.
