iCar Ecological Technology Co., Ltd., trading as iCar (stylised as iCAR) 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 brand by Chery. iCar started sales of its first vehicle, the iCar 03SUV in February 2024.
The iCar brand has been used by Chery several times in the past. 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.[1] In 2017, iCar became an "ecosystem" brand owned by Chery. Past use of the brand include a digital ecosystem,[2] along with online and offline direct sales store network selling Chery New Energy vehicles such as the Chery QQ Ice Cream.[3]
The brand was spun off into an electric car brand in April 2023 at the Auto Shanghai.[1] The "i" logo of iCar was designed by Cao Xue, the creator of the pandamascot of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. According to Chery, "i" stands for intelligence, internet, innovation, individual, inspiration, and information.[4] The brand targets younger people aged 25–35 who are pursuing new careers.[5] At the auto show, the brand debuted two cars, the iCar 03 and the iCar GT sports carconcept. The brand plans to market four product series covering MPV, SUVs, and sports cars.[4]
Pilot production of the iCar 03 started in June 2023,[6] while pre-orders were opened in November 2023.[7] It went on sale on 28 February 2024.[8]
