No messin': follow-up iCaur V25 already unveiled
Last week might have been the first time you'd heard of iCaur - it won't be the last
Say what you will of the Chinese car makers, they don’t hang around. Chery offshoot, iCaur, only confirmed last week that it will launch in the UK with the upmarket(ish) V27. Now it is touting the global reveal of the next rung down, the V25. As might be expected, a lot of the ‘25 is familiar from the ‘27. Here’s another large, electrified five-seat SUV, typically more rugged than what we’re used to seeing and with a design - how best to put it - inspired by some very recognisable 4x4 icons. For the latest iCaur V, there are strong 40-series Land Cruiser nods at the front, and maybe a bit of G-Class to the rear. With chunky tyres, prominent arch extensions, a squared-off silhouette and a spare wheel on the rear door, it’s ticking all the required boxes to be considered a proper off-roader. The covered rear window on this V25 suggests maybe a commercial or lifestyle element, a bit like a Defender Hardtop. To think we’d made it this far without mentioning the Land Rover.
iCaur suggests that the V25 ‘follows the brand’s architectural design DNA through a blend of strong proportions and clean lines’. The old school look is very deliberate, too, part of the brand’s Future-Classic design philosophy. The aim is to keep ‘the enduring appeal of classic design while responding to the tastes and lifestyles of a new generation.’ Look how successful, say, the Jimny was when it adopted a retro look - Suzuki couldn’t get enough of them. People like it, so rather than trying to convince them that they ought to be driving something they instinctively don't like, iCaur appears ready to stick with the same design language. Mental, right?
As for what else to expect from the V25 technically, there isn’t much to know for the moment. The inside is similar to the outside, which is to say recognisable to the V27 but a little more utilitarian. The layout beneath the central screen is a little more basic, for example, and where the V27 is being shown off with bright metals and tan leather, black is the order of the day here. iCaur says the new car is designed ‘for those who want to live life on their own terms… to move seamlessly between urban commutes and outdoor adventures.’ It’s a four-wheeled fleece - and the V27 is a slightly fancier one, it seems.
The V25 has been revealed at the iCaur International User Summit in Wuhu, China. While nothing has been confirmed yet about whether this will make it to the UK just yet, you'd imagine Chery has every intention of following up its debut model as soon as possible. Assuming the UK government doesn't change its attitude to Chinese car tariffs in the meantime. Or the V27 fails to land with British SUV buyers next year. But frankly, at time of writing, that would be a surprise...
kers.
However, if it's heavy, then please tax it accordingly, dear Chancellor. Just like HGVs, who damage the road a lot, and pay proportionately for it.
Right now, EVs registered after 31/3/2017 pay £200 a year.
If the Chancellor actually listened to you, EV drivers would be paying less than 10p a year in tax.
Now I'm sure that the FTA are being selective with their numbers (they include fuel duty for example), but my point stands. Heavy vehicles should pay additional taxes for the additional road damage they cause, not to mention the environmental cost of construction (additional materials). That's only fair, and would incentivise manufacturers to build lighter vehicles, and disincentivise individuals from buying overweight vehicles whose impact on the environment is disproportionately destructive. France does this with its Malus tax, which hammers heavy vehicles, although unfortunately this does not currently apply to EVs (whose heavier weight should be allowed for, but only in part - say, 350kg - 400kg).
Of course, we'll never see that take place as it would destroy JLR and many of the c.35,000 jobs that rely on their success.
If the Chancellor listened to me, EVs would be paying rather more than 10p a year in tax, especially heavy ones, but you knew that, didn't you?
I don't like overweight cars. Your view may differ.
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