By Otsile Kadiege

Back in 2023, Chery announced a new, new energy vehicle sub-brand called iCar along with its first model, the 03. The 03 is a rugged, box shaped five-seater electric compact crossover SUV which was first presented at the Chengdu Motor Show in 2023. About a year later, Jaecoo South Africa (one of Chery’s sub-brands) is getting ready to introduce the rebadged model which will be known locally as the J6.

J6 exterior design and styling

Outside, the upcoming J6 sports a box-shaped, rugged design with modern touches. Highlights include a completely closed grille with ‘JAECOO’ lettering, slim LED headlights, vertical i-shaped (i representing the first letter of i-Car brand) daytime running lights and a rugged front bumper. In profile, the J6 features contrasting flared wheel arches with integrated lights, it’s shod 19-inch alloy wheels, it has flush door handles and a contrasting roof and pillars.

At the rear, the J6 has LED taillights which mimic the front DRLs and a tailgate with a small sized luggage compartment – most likely used to store its charging cable. It measures 4,406 mm in length, it’s 1,910 mm wide and has a height of 1,715 mm.

J6 interior design and technology

Stepping inside, the J6 boasts a modern and minimalist design. Highlights include a dual-tone theme, a large centre display for the infotainment, a small horizontal display for driver information, a minimalist centre console with a familiar-looking crystal drive mode selector and grab handles for off-roading, a large panoramic sunroof, an Infinity sound system, a wireless charging pad and four USB ports (two for the front and two for the rear passengers).

Performance

In China and other markets, the J6 (or 03) is available with two powertrains – a RWD single electric motor making 135kW and 220Nm and a 4WD dual motor developing 205kW and 385Nm. It’s also available with two battery sizes – a 50.6 and 69.8 kWh battery packs. The latter has a claimed 501 km range which sounds a bit ambitious for a 70 kWh battery pack. Curb weight comes in at 1,800kg and it has a top speed of 150 km/h.

Availability

According to Jaecoo South Africa, the local market launch of the J6 will take place in 2025, but it will make its first public debut at the 2024 Festival of Motoring and also reveal local specifications.