iCaur gives first peek of incoming range-extending EV V27 and 03T

Pending arrival of the V27 and 03T REEV will see iCaur move away from its current electric-only product line-up. An electric-only brand until now, iCaur officially debuted its promised pair of range-extending electric vehicles (REEV), the V27 and 03T REEV, at the Kyalami Festival of Motoring last weekend. V27 Set to top iCaur’s current product range, comprising the V23 and 03T, the V27 is expected to arrive at dealerships before the end of the year and not in 2027 as originally believed. Described as stylistic “tribute” to the Defender 110, Toyota Land Cruiser 70-series and Isuzu Trooper, the five-seat only V27 will be offered solely in dual-motor all-wheel drive guise, despite a single-motor two-wheel drive variant being available in China. V27 still has physical switchgear, though most of the functions will still reside with the 15.4-inch infotainment display. Picture: Charl Bosch Shown in right-hand drive specification at the Beijing Motor Show in April, the V27 derives primary motivation from a 34.3-kWh battery pack powering the pair of electric motors. Present, but not connected to the drive wheels, is iCaur’s parent company Chery’s 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, whose 105kW/220Nm is used solely as a generator for the electric hardware. Combined, the setup develops 339kW/505Nm, allowing for an electric-only range of 150 km, 0-100 km/h in five seconds and a total distance range of 1 000 km. Spec Already confirmed standard specification items is: heated and ventilated front seats; 15.4-inch infotainment system; dual pane panoramic sunroof; temperature-controlled front armrest; 15-speaker sound system; ambient lighting; fragrance dispenser; Driver Attention Alert At present, pricing is still unknown, with the same applying to a final launch. 03T REEV Aptly displayed in a box well away from the main iCaur exhibition area in the Kyalami pitlane, the 03T REEV‘s showing didn’t involve the same fanfare as the V27, apart from iCaur confirming it will only be offered with two-wheel drive. Officially revealed in Thailand in June where it carries the Jaecoo J6T moniker, the 03T REEV is expected to slot in above the flagship all-electric 03T AWD and the V27 when it goes on-sale. 03T REEV made its first showing on local soil in a box as part of iCaur’s ‘unboxing’ marketing scheme. Picture: Charl Bosch While no details were provided, expectations are that the South African variant will be similar to the Thai model. This means principal power will come from a 33.6-kWh battery pack powering a single 188kW/300Nm electric motor on the rear axle. Similar to the V27, the 115kW/220Nm made by the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine is solely used to charge the battery, and is again not connected to the drive wheels. REEV powertrain consists of a 33.6-kWh battery pack, a single electric motor and a 1.5-turbocharged petrol engine acting as a generator. Picture: Charl Bosch According to iCaur Thailand, the claimed all-electric range is 190 km, with 0-100 km/h taking 7.9 seconds. With the combustion engine included, the 03T REEV is a supposed range of 900 km. As with the V27, pricing and final specification details of the 03T REEV is only expected once an official date of reveal is set.