The boxy icaur V23 SUV proves there is more to its character than rugged styling, with nine out of ten participants exceeding its official 312km driving range.
Range anxiety remains one of the biggest concerns for motorists considering the switch to electric vehicles. After all, nobody particularly enjoys watching their remaining kilometres disappear faster than expected, especially when the nearest charging station is nowhere in sight.
But what happens when an electric car travels considerably further than its official range suggests?
That is precisely what Vertex Automobile, the authorised distributor of iCAUR in Singapore, set out to discover with its Beyond Limits One Charge Challenge.
Ten motoring journalists and content creators were handed the keys to an iCAUR V23, each tasked with discovering how far the electric SUV could travel on a single charge.
Nine of the ten participants exceeded the V23’s official WLTP Combined range of 312km, with the best result reaching an impressive 516.4km.
Unlike conventional efficiency tests conducted under controlled conditions, participants drove the V23 across Singapore using their own routes and driving habits. Each vehicle started with a fully charged battery, with no additional charging permitted throughout the challenge.
The final results combined the actual distance travelled with the vehicle’s remaining Dynamic Range, an estimate that adjusts according to individual driving behaviour. SgCarMart’s Goh Zhi Xuan emerged victorious, covering 489.4km with another 27km of indicated range remaining. His combined result of 516.4km represented a 65.51 per cent improvement over the official WLTP figure.
Across all ten participants, the average combined range was 400.2km, approximately 28 per cent higher than the official rating. Importantly, four participants physically drove beyond the 312km WLTP figure before their remaining indicated range was even considered.
“What stood out to us wasn’t just the top result, it was how consistently the V23 performed across ten different drivers, routes and driving habits,” said Sng Khai Hing, Executive Director of Vertex Automobile. “Nearly every participant beat the rated WLTP Combined figure, several by a significant margin, in everyday driving.”
Of course, the results should be viewed in context. The headline 516.4km figure includes an estimated 27km of remaining range, rather than representing distance physically travelled.
Actual range will also vary depending on traffic conditions, driving style and energy consumption. Nevertheless, the figures offer an encouraging indication of the V23’s potential efficiency on Singapore roads.
The iCAUR V23 is currently priced from S$184,999. The V23 is available for viewing at Vertex Automobile’s showrooms at 3 Ubi Road 4 and One Commonwealth.
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