If the likes of Toyota, Geely, VW, Jetour, or Chery from this month alone couldn’t convince you that you needed an EV, then perhaps iCaur will do the trick. The Chinese brand confirmed the all-new, all-electric 03T SUV had launched in South Africa, bringing two derivatives with it — the 2WD and AWD. If you weren’t at least tempted by Geely’s E2 at R340,000, we doubt iCaur will have much more success with the R640,000 starting price here.
While iCaur reckons the car has launched, it won’t turn up in showrooms ’til 28 May. That’s not exactly what we’d call a launch. Either way, two new iCaur EVs will soon be on South Africa’s roads.
It’s not Apple, it’s iCaur
Offered in both two-wheel-drive (2WD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) derivatives, the cheaper O3T of the two employs a 66kWh battery that’ll feed the single electric motor on the rear axle. That’ll deliver 135kW and 220Nm of power and torque, with iCaur claiming a 0-100km/h sprint speed of 10.5 seconds. That, for a hefty R640,000 price.
Meanwhile, the AWD trim trades up for a dual-motor setup that’ll keep all four wheels powered with outputs of 235kW and 385Nm. It’ll hit the 100km/h mark way sooner than its sibling, only requiring 6.5 seconds for the milestone. Both cars are capped at 150km/h top speed, which only makes the AWD’s R700,000 price sting more.
That’ll result in the O3T 2WD reaching 431km before clammering for a charge. The AWD model bumps that up slightly to 436km. It’s worth taking iCaur’s claims with a pinch of salt, though. They’re measured in the ironically older ‘New European Driving Cycle (NEDC)’ format, and not the more widely used WLTC procedure.
Read More: Toyota enters South Africa’s EV race with the R1.18 million bZ4X
Inside, you’re getting a 15.6in infotainment display, no matter the trim, loaded with the works — CarPlay, Android Auto, etc. The cheaper 2WD packs in an eight-speaker system, while the bigger spenders get a 12-speaker system with the AWD. Drivers also get three USB-A ports, a single Type-C port, and a 50W wireless phone charger.
Active Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) found on the 03T:
- Automatic Emergency Braking with Vehicle, Pedestrian & Bicycle Recognition
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Traffic Jam Assist
- Lane Departure Warning & Prevention
- Lane-Keep Assist
- Blind Spot Detection
- Front Collision Warning
- Reverse Collision Warning
- Door Opening Warning
- Drive Away Reminder
“The new 03T is a very clear expression of what iCAUR stands for: an electric SUV with strong visual character and the technology to make every journey easier,” said Shannon Gahagan, national brand and marketing manager at iCaur South Africa.
