JSW is setting up its own independent car business under the name JSW Motors and its first product will be a badge-engineered version of the Jetour T2 plug-in hybrid SUV sold abroad. When brought to India around the festive season this year, it will compete primarily with the Toyota Fortuner here. The T2 will, however, have a different name and JSW branding in India, and will initially be brought as CKD (Completely Knocked Down) units and assembled at JSW’s upcoming plant in Maharashtra. Beyond the T2, JSW Motors plans to launch two all-electric SUVs- the Jaecoo J5 and iCaur V23. Let’s take a closer look at these plans.
For the uninitiated, Jaecoo is a subsidiary of China’s Chery Automobile, launched in 2023. In international markets, it has a wide range of internal combustion and new energy vehicles on sale. JSW will launch the Jaecoo J5 electric SUV in India under its own branding. Essentially a mid-size e-SUV, the J5 will compete with the likes of Hyundai Creta Electric, Mahindra BE6 and Vinfast VF6. This is a highly competitive segment.
The J5 will have design as one of its biggest strengths. It looks like a baby Range Rover Velar from most angles. Camouflaged mules have already been spied on test multiple times. These show the India-spec to be not much different from the global car in terms of design. If so, it will come with a simple and elegant front fascia, clean lines, smooth panels and a tall stance.
The SUV will also have sleek projector-based LED headlights, dual LED DRLs, closed-off grille, 18-inch wheels, a sloping roofline, integrated spoiler, and thin LED tail lamps. The roofline, stance and lighting impart a sense of Range Rover-ness to the SUV. From what is visible in the spy videos, the J5 will be slightly larger than the outgoing Creta Electric and will be a five-seater.
The interior will have a minimalist design and will feel quite upmarket. It will come with a long list of features. Expect the likes of a large 14.8-inch vertically oriented touchscreen, powered and ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, a 540-degree camera system, Level 2 ADAS and more.
The J5 EV is expected to come with a 60.9 kWh battery pack and a front-sitting electric motor that generates 210 hp and 288 Nm. This setup is expected to have an NEDC range of 461km per charge, and will support charging speeds of up to 130kW. The J5 electric SUV will have a zero-to-100kph time of 7.3 seconds- slightly faster than the Creta Electric.
We have also come across spy sightings of iCaur V23 electric SUV in India. This is another product that we expect JSW Motors to launch in the near future. It will likely be targeted at lifestyle-oriented electric SUV buyers- a relatively less explored segment. In the future, production forms of Mahindra’s Vision T and Vision SXT will belong to this segment.
The V23’s biggest highlight is its styling. It looks unique and higher variants ride on 21-inch wheels. Its neo-retro off-roader styling could potentially appeal to a lot of buyers. The overall design seems to have taken inspiration from iconic models like the Land Rover Defender. It gets circular LED headlights, LED DRLs, a tall, upright bonnet, bold front bumper, large windows, tall window lines, tailgate-mounted square storage box and more.
The iCaur V23 will also be a feature-loaded e-SUV. It will come with a 15.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control with retro-styled buttons, ventilated and powered seats, panoramic sunroof and more.
Globally, the V23 SUV is offered with two battery packs- 59.93 kWh and 81.76 kWh. The smaller comes with a rear-wheel drive (RWD) setup and claims a range of around 401 km per charge, while the other offers a range of 510 km per charge, and comes with All Wheel Drive (AWD). The RWD version makes 136 hp and 180 Nm while the AWD setup has an output of 211 hp and 292 Nm.
The V23 electric SUV’s RWD version is capable of doing the 0-100 kph sprint in 11 seconds, while the AWD guise does the same in just 7.5 seconds. Both have a top speed of 140 kph. In acceleration, the V23 AWD is slightly slower than the J5.