Chery iCar V23 Patented in India: 5 Things To Expect

JSW Motors' second China-sourced product line just took a concrete step forward. Design patent filings for the Chery iCar V23 have surfaced in India, arriving on the back of multiple test-mule sightings over the past several months and a preview of the SUV at the 2026 Indonesia Motor Show. With the paperwork now in place, here's a rundown of what buyers can realistically expect once the boxy electric SUV lands in local showrooms.

1. A JSW badge

The iCar V23 won't sell here under its Chinese nameplate. Like the Jetour T2 that's already lined up as JSW Motors' first launch, the V23 will wear JSW badging as the brand works to position itself as a standalone carmaker rather than an extension of its existing MG joint venture. Chery Automobile continues to supply the underlying platform and engineering, but the go-to-market identity in India rests with JSW.

2. Boxy Styling

Where most electric SUVs in this price band lean toward swoopy, coupe-like silhouettes, the iCaur V23 goes the other way entirely. Expect a slab-sided, upright stance finished off with a full-width LED lighting signature - styling distinctive enough that it picked up a Red Dot Design Award. Inside, spy shots and early previews point to a large landscape touchscreen in the 15-plus-inch range, a steering column-mounted gear selector freeing up centre console space, faux-leather trim throughout, powered front seats, illuminated vanity mirrors, and practical touches like interior grab handles.

3. Two Distinct Powertrains

Globally, Chery offers the V23 with a choice of setups, and India is likely to get some version of this split. The base configuration pairs a single motor producing around 134-136hp and 180Nm with a roughly 60kWh LFP battery pack, driving the rear wheels. Sitting above it is a dual-motor all-wheel-drive variant good for close to 210hp and 292Nm, backed by a larger 81-82kWh NMC pack. That AWD option is worth flagging on its own: none of the current crop of midsize electric SUVs sold in India, including rivals from Hyundai, Mahindra, Maruti, MG, Tata, and VinFast, offer four-wheel drive today.

4. Range Figures that will Need an Indian Recalibration

On the Chinese CLTC cycle, the rear-wheel-drive iCaur V23 is rated at roughly 400km, while the all-wheel-drive version stretches to around 500km-plus. Real-world and ARAI-certified numbers for the India-spec car will almost certainly come in lower once tested here, so treat these international figures as a ceiling rather than a promise. Fast-charging support is expected to sit somewhere in the 85-104kW band depending on the battery variant chosen.

5. Pricing in the Sub-Rs 20 lakh Bracket

Industry chatter points to the India-spec iCaur V23 undercutting the Rs 20 lakh mark, ex-showroom, which would put it squarely in contention with the Hyundai Creta Electric, Mahindra BE 6, Maruti e Vitara, MG ZS EV, Tata Curvv EV, and VinFast VF6. As for timing, the SUV is expected to arrive after the Jetour T2, which itself has faced delays tied to component-approval hurdles for imported Chinese parts. Both models are likely to roll out of JSW's upcoming plant in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra, with the V23's India debut more plausibly a 2027 story than a 2026 one.