ICar (marque)
{{Short description|Marque of vehicle manufacturer Chery}}
{{redirect|Chery iCar|the small electric car|Chery eQ1}}
{{for|the proposed car by Apple, Inc.|Apple car project}}
{{Lowercase title}}
{{Infobox company
| name = iCar Ecological Technology Co., Ltd.
| logo = ICar 2024 logo.svg
| logo_size =
| logo_alt =
| type = Subsidiary
| industry = Automotive
| foundation = {{start date and age|2023|04|df=yes}}
| founder =
| location = Wuhu, Anhui, China
| locations =
| area_served = {{ubl
| China (iCar)
| Worldwide (iCaur)
}}
| key_people = Chen Jian (brand operations officer){{Cite web |title=iCar virtual human i-VA has gained 190 million followers - iCAR -场景智能电动汽车引领品牌 |url=https://www.icarglobal.com/en/ennews/1659783742102781954.html |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=www.icarglobal.com}}
| products = Automobiles
| services =
| parent = Chery Automobile
| homepage = {{ubl
| {{url|https://www.icarglobal.com/|icarglobal.com}} (China)
| {{url|https://www.icaurglobal.com/|icaurglobal.com}} (global)
}}
| module = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes|s=爱咖生态科技有限公司|p=Àikā Shēngtài Kējì Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī |order=st|hide=no}}
}}
iCar Ecological Technology Co., Ltd., trading as iCar (stylized as iCAR), or iCaur (stylized as iCAUR) outside China, is a subsidiary of Chinese vehicle manufacturer Chery. The iCar brand was established as an electric vehicle brand in April 2023, following several previous usage of the trademark by Chery. iCar started sales of its first vehicle, the iCar 03 SUV in February 2024. In April 2025, the brand was renamed to iCaur for overseas markets due to trademark dispute.{{Cite web |last=Yap |first=Chips |date=2025-04-25 |title=iCAUR, a new Chery group brand, coming to Malaysia |url=https://www.motaauto.com/icaur-a-new-chery-group-brand-coming-to-malaysia/ |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=MotaAuto.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2025-04-30 |title=Chery boss confirms iCar brand for Australia |url=https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/chery-boss-confirms-icar-brand-for-australia |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=CarExpert |language=en}}
History
The iCar brand has been used by Chery several times prior to its usage as a standalone electric car brand. In 2007, the iCar name was used for a pickup truck. In 2014, the platform used by the Chery Arrizo 7 was marketed as iCar.{{Cite web |last=Breevoort |first=Leo |date=2023-08-20 |title=The Big Read – Chery (3/4) – Brand madness |url=https://carnewschina.com/2023/08/20/the-big-read-chery-3-4-brand-madness/ |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=CarNewsChina.com |language=en-US}} In 2017, iCar became an "ecosystem" brand owned by Chery. Past use of the brand include a digital ecosystem,{{Cite web |title=奇瑞iCar生态打造跨界平台, 契合汽车行业发展新风向_汽车_中国网 |url=https://auto.china.com.cn/hydt/20210615/712966.shtml |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=auto.china.com.cn}} along with online and offline direct sales store network selling Chery New Energy vehicles such as the Chery QQ Ice Cream.{{Cite web |date=2021-09-20 |title=奇瑞iCar生态最新进展, 1000家门店签约, QQ冰淇淋即将上市 |trans-title=The latest progress of Chery iCar ecology, 1,000 stores signed, QQ ice cream will be launched soon |url=https://www.sohu.com/a/491016125_699909 |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=www.sohu.com}} The Chery eQ1 is also marketed as the Caoa Chery iCar in Brazil since August 2023.{{Cite web |last=Cesar |first=Julio |date=2023-08-01 |title=Caoa Chery iCar baixa para R$ 119.990: carro elétrico mais barato do Brasil |url=https://insideevs.uol.com.br/news/679781/caoachery-icar-eletrico-preco-barato/ |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=InsideEVs Brasil |language=pt}}
The brand was spun off into an electric car brand in April 2023 at the Auto Shanghai. The "i" logo of iCar was designed by Cao Xue, the creator of the panda mascot of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. According to Chery, "i" stands for intelligence, internet, innovation, individual, inspiration, and information.{{Cite web |last=Opletal |first=Jiri |date=2023-04-16 |title=iCAR GT electric sports car debut in China |url=https://carnewschina.com/2023/04/16/icar-gt-electric-sports-car-debut-in-china/ |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=CarNewsChina.com |language=en-US}} The brand targets younger people aged 25–35 who are pursuing new careers.{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Dong Yi |date=2023-11-18 |title=Chery's iCar 03 hardcore SUV with solar panels and CATL battery opens blind order, price starts at 19,400 USD |url=https://carnewschina.com/2023/11/18/cherys-icar-03-hardcore-suv-with-solar-panels-and-catl-battery-opens-blind-order-price-starts-at-19400-usd/ |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=CarNewsChina.com |language=en-US}} At the auto show, the brand debuted two cars, the iCar 03 and the iCar GT sports car concept. The brand plans to market four product series covering MPV, SUVs, and sports cars.
CATL announced that they will be incorporating their sodium-ion batteries into the Chery iCar.{{Cite web |last=Bobylev |first=Denis |date=2023-06-05 |title=Chery iCar 03 hit the production line in China. The 21,000-USD all-road EV |url=https://carnewschina.com/2023/06/05/chery-icar-03-hit-the-production-line-in-china-the-21000-usd-all-road-ev/ |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=CarNewsChina.com |language=en-US}}
Pilot production of the iCar 03 started in June 2023,{{Cite web |last=Bobylev |first=Denis |date=2023-06-05 |title=Chery iCar 03 hit the production line in China. The 21,000-USD all-road EV |url=https://carnewschina.com/2023/06/05/chery-icar-03-hit-the-production-line-in-china-the-21000-usd-all-road-ev/ |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=CarNewsChina.com |language=en-US}} while pre-orders were opened in November 2023. It went on sale on 28 February 2024.{{Cite web |last=Andrews |first=Mark |date=2024-02-28 |title=Apple may have cancelled the iCar but Chery hasn't |url=https://carnewschina.com/2024/02/28/apple-may-have-cancelled-the-icar-but-chery-hasnt/ |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=CarNewsChina.com |language=en-US}}
On April 7, 2024, the second vehicle, the iCar V23 made its debut in China. The V23 is the first model jointly developed by Chery and Zhimi Technology, and was officially unveiled on April 12, 2024, and launched in the second half of 2024. Zhimi Technology's car manufacturing division started as early as the end of 2021, with the V23 being its first project. Originally developed independently to be part of Zhimi's product lines and earliest vehicle product, the V23 project and Zhimi Technology's car manufacturing division and assets was later bought by Chery and merged with the existing iCar brand in 2024.{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Dong Yi |date=2024-04-07 |title=Chery iCar V23 off-road EV debuts in China, jointly developed with Xiaomi’s Zhimi subsidiary|url=https://carnewschina.com/2024/04/07/chery-icar-v23-off-road-ev-debuts-in-china-jointly-developed-with-xiaomis-zhimi-subsidiary/#google_vignette|access-date=2024-03-05 |website=CarNewsChina.com |language=en-US}}
Products
= Current models =
= Concept car =
- iCar GT
File:ICAR GT 001.jpg|iCar GT
Related brand
The iCar 03 became available in some overseas markets under the Aiqar marque, an electric vehicle brand of Chery International in countries such as Armenia, Georgia, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, and Curaçao. Aiqar sells rebranded versions of iCar and Chery New Energy models.{{Cite web |last=Horng |first=Pengly |date=2023-12-06 |title=AIQAR Cambodia rolls out green electric vehicles - Khmer Times |url=https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501403103/aiqar-cambodia-rolls-out-green-electric-vehicles/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |language=en-US}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.icarglobal.com/ Official website]
{{Chery}}
{{Automotive industry in the People's Republic of China}}
Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 2023