JSW Motors' Two Electric Cars For India Detailed
JSW Group, led by Sajjan Jindal, is gearing up to launch a new automobile company in India, and it will be called JSW Motors. Under this new brand, the company will launch a number of unique vehicles, of which two will be fully electric. Now, if you are someone who is keen on knowing which new JSW Motors EVs are about to get launched, then you have come to the right spot. Here are all the details of upcoming JSW Motors EVs.
One of the first products from JSW Motors will be based on the Chinese automaker Chery’s iCar V23. This particular vehicle's test mules have already been spotted testing in India on multiple occasions. What is interesting is that one of the test mules was even seen at the Automotive Research Association of India facility. This highlights that the homologation and certification processes of this EV SUV have already started.
The upcoming iCar V23, as stated above, will look like a budget Land Rover Defender. It will boast a strong, upright, and boxy stance that will make it extremely popular in India, as such SUVs have an imposing road presence. At the front, the iCar V23 features an upright fascia with a chunky bumper, a closed grille design, and a bold bonnet.
It also gets circular LED headlamps, which give it a retro style. Moving to the side, the V23 boasts squared wheel arches, large alloy wheels (19-21-inch), pull-type door handles, and roof rails. At the rear, the design has been kept simple yet functional. It features vertically oriented LED taillights and a unique-looking square spare wheel cover.
Now, some reports have highlighted that it could be an external storage box mounted on the side-hinged tailgate. Dimensionally, the Chery iCar V23 measures 4,220 mm in length, 1,915 mm in width, 1,845 mm in height, and its wheelbase will be 2,735 mm. As for the ground clearance, it is expected to be around 205 to 210 mm. There are reports that suggest that it will also offer a water-wading capacity of 600 mm, which will be very impressive.
Moving inside the cabin, the iCar V23, like the exterior, will boast a functional yet premium layout. The cabin will feature a black theme with yellow accents on the air vents and door pockets. The main highlight will be a large 15.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.
Other notable features will include powered and ventilated front seats with flat-folding capability, split rear seats for improved practicality, a seven-speaker audio system, multiple USB ports, a PM2.5 air filtration system, multiple drive modes, and others.
In terms of safety features, it is expected to offer ADAS with Automatic Emergency Braking, a 540-degree camera system, parking sensors, disc brakes on all four wheels, a tyre pressure monitoring system, and an electronic parking brake with auto hold.
Recently, in the ASEAN NCAP crash tests, the Chery iCar V23 managed to score 91.02 points and was awarded a 5-star rating. It performed strongly in both frontal offset and side impact tests and provided a stable body structure for occupant safety.
Internationally, the iCar V23 is offered with multiple powertrain options. The first is the RWD, single-motor setup, which makes 136 bhp and 180 Nm. It gets three battery options - 47.28 kWh, 59.93 kWh, and 69.8 kWh (LFP), and the range varies from 301 km to 550 km.
There is also an AWD dual-motor setup, which makes 211 bhp and 292 Nm. It is offered with an 81.76 kWh battery (NMC), which provides a range of 510 km. 0 to 100 kmph in the RWD version takes 11 seconds. Meanwhile, the AWD version does it in 7.5 seconds. It also boasts a top speed of 140 kmph.
As for DC fast charging, it supports 85 kW to 104 kW charging. Now, which exact powertrain option will be offered in India has not been confirmed. The iCar V23-based EV will be positioned in the midsize electric SUV segment. It will rival the Hyundai Creta Electric, Mahindra BE 6, Maruti e Vitara, MG ZS EV, Tata Curvv EV, and VinFast VF6. Pricing is expected to be under Rs 20 lakh.
The second electric SUV from JSW Motors will be based on the internationally launched Jaecoo J5. For those who may not be aware, Jaecoo is Chery’s premium brand. Over the last few months, a few test mules of this SUV have also been spotted on Indian roads.
With the Jaecoo J5 EV, JSW Motors will offer a more premium-looking affordable electric SUV in India. Its design has taken a lot of inspiration from luxury SUVs such as the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Velar. At the front, it will get a clean and minimalistic fascia with sleek LED headlamps, dual DRLs, and a closed grille design.
Moving to the side profile, it will feature smooth body lines, a strong shoulder line, and a sloping roofline. As for the rear-end design, it will include sleek LED taillamps, an integrated spoiler, and a simple bumper layout. Dimensionally, it will measure 4,380 mm in length, which will make it slightly larger than the Creta Electric.
Like the exterior, the interior of the Jaecoo will also be minimalistic yet futuristic. Its main highlights will include a 13.2-inch vertical touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated and powered front seats, multi-zone climate control, synthetic leather upholstery, a 540-degree camera, and a column-mounted gear selector.
The all-electric version of the J5 is expected to feature a front-mounted electric motor, which will be capable of producing around 211 bhp and 288 Nm of torque. As for the battery pack, it is expected to be offered with a 60.9 kWh unit, which will provide a range of around 461 km. The sprint from 0 to 100 kmph will take 7.7 seconds, and its top speed will be around 175 kmph. It will also support DC fast charging up to 130 kW.
The Jaecoo J5 EV will also be positioned as a premium midsize electric SUV and will take on rivals such as the Hyundai Creta Electric, Mahindra BE 6, and VinFast VF6. It is expected to be priced between Rs 18 lakh and Rs 25 lakh.