China’s leading car exporter Chery Automobile Company has been making a lot of headlines in the Indian automotive industry in recent times. This is due to their partnership with JSW Motors which is keen to bring many Chery products to India through CBU and CKD routes. One of them is the Chery Jaecoo J5, which has been spotted testing again.
Previous spy shots of the Jaecoo J5 had shown this Hyundai Creta and Tata Sierra-sized SUV from the rear. The latest spy shots by automotive enthusiast Shivit Singh show the design of the India-spec Zeku J5 with unique wheel design, front facia, headlight design and other aspects. let’s take a closer look.
Chery Jaecoo J5 spied during testing
Recent spy shots of the Chery Jaecoo J5 SUV show a fully camouflaged test mule with temporary red registration plates from the Pimpri-Chinchwad RTO in Pune, Maharashtra. There was also a code stuck on its windshield which read JD-173. Interestingly, this test mule had no exhaust setup at the rear and the front air intakes were completely covered.
These features suggest that the Chery Jaecoo J5 that is being tested for JSW Motors is likely to be an all-electric model. In global markets, the Jaecoo J5 is offered in both ICE and EV versions. It is a C segment 4.2 meter to 4.5 meter SUV with a length of 4,380 mm, width of 1,860 mm, height of 1,650 mm and a wheelbase of 2,620 mm.
When launched, it will compete with other electric C SUVs like Hyundai Creta Electric, MG ZS EV, Tata Curve EV, Mahindra BE6, VinFast VF6 and the upcoming Tata Sierra EV. The wheel design seen with this test mule does not match that of the J5 EV sold globally, suggesting that it will be an India-specific design.
what to expect?
Talking about the design, the Chery Jaecoo J5 EV offers a sophisticated design language with straight lines that makes it contemporary. It’s a safe bet and Indian audiences have historically rewarded boxy designs. We get a closed-top grille, wide LED headlights with integrated LED DRL, straight window lines, wheels up to 19 inches, LED tail lights, all-wheel disc brakes, rear independent suspension and other features with the J5 EV.
On the inside, we can see a large portrait-style infotainment screen, 10.25-inch instrument cluster, powered front seats, heated and ventilated front seats, 8-speaker Sony audio system, heated steering wheel, powered tailgate, panoramic sunroof and more. Level-2 ADAS, 540-degree cameras, driver monitoring system and other features are also worth mentioning.
Powering the Chery Jaecoo J5 EV in markets like Australia is a 58.9 kWh battery pack. A range of 400 km is promised on a single charge and the single electric motor is rated at 208 bhp and 288 Nm, driving the front wheels. 0-100 km/h is achieved in 7.7 seconds and the J5 EV also supports DC fast charging up to 130 kW.
According to Managing Director Parth Jindal, the first offering from JSW Motors will be a big muscle car which is speculated to be the Jetour T2 PHEV. It is expected to launch around Diwali and is expected to be a CBU offering. Following that, JSW Motors is looking to launch two CKD vehicles – Jaku J5 and Chery iCar V23 – assembled at its Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar facility.
