It’s no secret that Chinese automakers have been stepping up their design game, but sometimes, their inspiration tends to come from, let’s just say, more familiar places than they’d probably admit. Chery’s fairly new iCar brand already offers a few intriguing models, and now it’s working on a 4×4 that looks suspiciously like a Land Rover Defender.

However, unlike the British icon, this one comes without the history or prestige, meaning it’ll be far more affordable. It’s also expected to launch as a range-extender EV, which, if you haven’t noticed, is the current industry fallback for “We wanted to go fully electric but weren’t quite ready.”

Read: Chery’s iCar Expands Its Lineup With Rugged Minivans And Tougher SUVs

While the name iCar might bring to mind Apple’s long-abandoned EV project, it has no connection whatsoever to the tech giant. That said, the Chery-owned brand hasn’t just borrowed Apple’s naming vibe, as it also seems eager to echo the design of another Western staple, the current Land Rover Defender, all while keeping some visual ties to its own lineup, like the X23.

Spy photos from China’s Autohome reveal a front fascia that closely mirrors the Land Rover Defender, featuring headlights and a grille design that look nearly identical. The prototype also sports a blacked-out bumper, black fender flares, and matching rocker panels, all contributing to its deliberately rugged appearance.

The similarities keep piling up along the sides. There are small black vents on the quarter panel and chunky door handles. One notable difference is the fact that the iCar’s side windows appear much larger than those of the Defender and they seem to sit slightly below the line of the windshield. So there’s that.

At the rear, the prototype sports four square LED taillights. The third brake light has been positioned where you’d usually expect to find a spare wheel carrier, although for the iCar, it will likely serve as a small storage box.

Limited technical specifications are known about the model. However, Chery already has an impressive range-extender powertrain in its line-up that drives the Exlantix ET crossover and consists of a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and two electric motors.

Familiar Face for a Fraction of the Cost

As for price, Chinese media outlets suggest a starting range between 200,000 yuan (around $27,600 at current exchange rates) and 250,000 yuan (roughly $34,500), making it significantly cheaper than anything coming out of Solihull. For comparison, the current Defender, the real one, starts from 688,000 yuan ($95,000), or more than three times the rumored price of the still-unnamed iCar SUV.

Autohome

Cast your mind back a few years, and the internet was rife with speculation that Apple was about to launch its own automobile. The tech giant had been linked to partnerships with all kinds of automakers, including Hyundai, Kia, Porsche, BYD, and Toyota. However, early last year, reports emerged that the ambitious project had officially been canned, with up to around 600 employees given their marching orders or being retrenched within the company.

While we may never know just how close the world came to an “iCar”, what we do know is that one of Apple’s tech rivals has quietly gone about bringing its own EV to market. That rival is Xiaomi, another tech company that managed to sell 135,000 units of its SU7 in China since it debuted in March 2024.

Read: Apple Lays Off 614 Workers After Canceling Electric Car Project

While Xiaomi is best known in the West for its phones, at home, the company has developed a connected ecosystem of consumer products that even the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Google can only dream of. From smart lights to air purifiers to robot vacuum cleaners to blenders, the company offers a wide range of consumer tech products, all of which are controlled from one app. And that’s exactly why a car is a great addition to the company’s lineup.

All About The Ecosystem

Nowadays, tech companies aren’t interested in selling you a singular device – they’re more invested in offering a whole ecosystem, the benefits of which can only be truly reaped once you commit to a company’s products. Whether it be the ease with which an iPhone can communicate with a Macbook or how seamlessly a Galaxy smartphone can stream to a Samsung TV, ecosystems are all around us. Even cars are judged based on whether they offer CarPlay or Android Auto.

However, Xiaomi offers buyers more than just an infotainment system. By selling its own car, Xiaomi can potentially attract clients to its network of connected devices like never before. The SU7 can use data collected from those other devices to ready itself for a user’s routine, such as determining the best time to recharge the car’s batteries.

“Xiaomi has really started infiltrating your home,” said Gary Ng, an economist with Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking, speaking to the New York Times. “Everything is linked together, and this is something other companies couldn’t do.”

China’s Supply Chain Success

Another factor that allowed Xiaomi to develop its first car quickly is the environment in which it operates. China’s electric car makers have been the beneficiaries of billions of dollars worth of state support. The supply chain for EVs is practically wrapped up inside the nation, with Xiaomi securing battery supplies from BYD and CATL, two of the world’s largest battery makers. The company then took over a manufacturing plant from Beijing Auto Group before pumping out its new sedan.

In all aspects, Xiaomi managed to hit the ground running. Now, with plans to launch a second car in the form of an SUV, and construction of a new manufacturing plant well underway, its automotive plans are full steam ahead.

See Also: Xiaomi President Confirms Global EV Expansion Coming Soon

Of course, success is still far from guaranteed. The company faces intense competition from a wide range of home-grown rivals, including electronics rival Huawei, which has teamed up with multiple automakers.

But Xiaomi is also putting up a fight against foreign brands. With the SU7 starting at just $30,000, it offers Porsche-like looks with class-leading tech. Coincidentally, in the year since the Xiaomi SU7 was launched, Porsche’s sales in China were down 30 percent.

With more and more Chinese automakers looking for success outside of their home nation, it could be a matter of time before more of the globe starts seeing the SU7 as a compelling option.