The latest Chinese brand to head to the UK has a distinctive UK flavour, thanks to over 100 research and development engineers working in Birmingham on a range of new cars that are heading to the UK in 2025.
Changan Deepal is part of the Changan group that has been making cars in China for over 40 years, selling over 26 million cars in that time. As well as Deepal and Changan cars, it also makes Avatr models and has joint ventures in China with Ford and Mazda.
The UK R&D base isn’t Changan’s only European base; a styling studio in Turin has been responsible for the look of the new cars that are coming to the UK and Europe.
First to arrive will be the Changan Deepal S07, another all-electric SUV rival to the TeslaModel Y and in a similar vein to other new arrivals from China, the Xpeng G6 and BYD Sealion 7. At 4,750mm long it’s almost exactly the same size as its main rivals.
The Deepal S07 will arrive in the UK in the summer at a price of £39,995 with an 80kWh battery promising a maximum range of 295 miles, shy of what the more expensive Tesla and BYD offer, but more than the similarly-priced Xpeng.
Fast charging isn’t especially fast at 93kW, meaning it’ll take 35 minutes to get from 30 to 80 per cent charge. The 214bhp electric motor powers the rear wheels and gets the S07 from zero to 60mph in 7.6 seconds.
Simplicity is key for Deepal buyers so there will be just one version of the S07 that will come fully loaded. There’s a 15.6-inch touchscreen inside – the same size as rivals – which also features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, unlike the Tesla Model Y. There’s also a touchscreen in the back for passengers to control the air-con and rear sun blinds.
An augmented-reality head-up display is standard along with a 360-degree camera and a large 1.9-metre-long panoramic sunroof. The usual full suite of driver assistance and safety systems are all on board, too, with level two autonomous driving tech. There’s a full five-star Euro NCAP rating, too.
Changan says that the interior of the Deepal S07 offers an “exclusive yacht-style ambience” with premium materials and “breathable” front seats. There are, apparently, 28 storage compartments inside the car, too.
Right-hand drive cars will be arriving in the UK in June and will be sold through a network of traditional dealers – Changan expects to have 60 dealers across the country by the end of the year.
Hot on the heels of the S07 will be the slightly smaller (4,600mm long) Changan Deepal S05 B-SUV, again all-electric but likely to do battle with the likes of the Kia EV3. In total, Changan expects to have a range of eight new models on sale in the UK by the 2027, including all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars.
European production is also planned for Changan, with the UK on the list of possibilities for a factory, according to Leevon Tian, managing director of Changan Europe.
