It seems almost a daily occurrence now that a new Chinese automaker is announcing its desire to conquer the UK and European markets with a salvo of high-tech and affordable EVs that have been meticulously attuned to suit their new habitat. Following in the footsteps of their stablemates Chery and Xpeng, the Chongqing based Changan are looking to explode onto the scene with an electric SUV crossover that has the Tesla Model Y in its sights.
For those dubious of Changan’s credentials, the Chinese firm has a 40-year history of manufacturing vehicles and has established joint ventures in its homeland with Ford and Mazda. To help acclimatise to the market idiosyncrasies of the UK and Europe, Changan have set up an R&D centre in Birmingham that employs over 100 engineers, and a studio in Turin that is dedicated to vehicle design.
Much like Chery with Omoda and Jaecoo, Changan operate a family of sub-brands including Deepal, Nevo, and Avatr. The Chinese heavyweights have plans to bring the first two to the UK emblazoned with the Changan badge, while Avatr will be sold in different showrooms and have separate management.
The Deepal S07 will be the first of eight all electric and plug-in hybrid Changan vehicles to arrive in the UK by 2027 and will be given the unenviable task of finding its feet in the most competitive segment in the EV market: mid-size SUVs. Like most of its competitors, the S07 has been designed to appear sleek and sporty with sharp curves and a sloping roof. It will be similar in size to its archenemy the Model Y and feature flush door handles and frameless windows.
On the inside, Changan have followed the masses and embraced Tesla’s fixation with minimalism and an unavoidable central touchscreen. Only one trim level of the S07 exists, meaning all drivers will receive the same 15.6-inch infotainment behemoth that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, something that Tesla continue to exclude in favour of their own homemade software.
The recent brood of Chinese vehicles has been applauded for their wealth of onboard features, and the S07 does not disappoint. Standard equipment includes a 1.9-metre panoramic sunroof, a 14-speaker sound system, ventilated and heated front seats, a touchscreen in the back for rear passengers to adjust the climate, a wireless charging pad for mobile phones, 28 storage compartments, an electronically powered tailgate, headrest speakers, and a head-up display that provides augmented reality navigation.
Safety kit is comprehensive with a 360-degree camera and a swarm of driver assistance features including driver fatigue monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and level two autonomous driving. The Changan has also achieved the maximum five-star Euro NCAP crash-test safety rating.
Powered by a 214 bhp electric motor, the S07 can accelerate from 0-62 mph in 7.6 seconds. While not a Porsche Taycan, the Changan still packs a punch for a family car and will manage a respectable 295 miles on a single charge thanks to its 80-kWh battery. Despite being better than the range offering of the Xpeng G6, it is superseded by both the BYD Sealion 7 and crucially, the Tesla Model Y. Charging speeds too are far from best in class, with 93 kW charging replenishing the battery from 30 to 80 percent in a fairly sluggish 35 minutes. While still adequate, it is eclipsed by the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.
The S07 is priced similarly to the Ioniq 5 at £39,995, making it significantly cheaper than the Model Y and a slightly more economical alternative to the G6. Initially, the S07 will only be available with a pure electric powertrain, but Changan have confirmed that a range-extender hybrid model will follow. Additionally, the smaller, Kia EV3 rivalling Deepal S05 is expected towards the end of the year.
Changan are clearly a brand who want to go places and hit the ground running in the UK, with UK managing director Nic Thomas stating in an interview with Autocar that Changan’s “ambition is not limited. We expect to be one of the leading global automotive companies. We're investing more than $10 billion in new products to support globalisation and new factories", of which the UK is a candidate for a new location. The S07 should be the perfect spearhead for the Chinese firm thanks to its position in the EV market, attractive design, decent range, plethora of technology, and strong lineup of onboard features and safety equipment.