This is the first Changan vehicle to have been snapped on Australian roads; the Deepal S07.
Spotted on the M4 Motorway in Sydney, the electric SUV – which could be confused for a Cupra – appeared to be undergoing engineering evaluation, with a team of staff onboard the fully electric, Tesla Model Y-sized SUV.
Changan is one of China’s ‘big four’ state-owned carmakers and has a range of electric and electrified vehicles, with the S07 falling under the Deepal sub-brand.
This model has reportedly been jointly developed with Huawei and CATL, and is platform-related to the Mazda EZ-6 electric sedan.
The S07 is offered both as a fully electric SUV and a range-extender EV. It is thought the model seen in Sydney is all-electric, with only one filler cap evident.
It’s a five-seater, but is offered with rear-wheel drive only, with an electric motor producing 99kW and 320Nm.
The battery in the S07 EV is a 66.8kWh NMC unit, with a claimed DC charge time of 35 mins from 30 to 80 per cent indicating a slower-than-average DC charge rate. Claimed range on the lenient CLTC test cycle is more than 500km.
There are reports of a larger 79.97kWh battery pack, offering up to 620km of EV range on the CLTC test protocol.
There is word of an EREV range-extender model with a 1.5-litre petrol engine forming part of the mix, with up to 200km of electric range and more than 1100km of driving claimed to be on offer.
Fuel consumption is expected to be around the 5.0L/100km mark.
It measures 4750mm long (on a 2900mm wheelbase), 1930mm wide, and 1625mm tall. According to the specifications sheet, it rides on 20-inch wheels – but the test vehicle seen here is fitted with different rims to those seen in the official communique from the brand.
Further spec details include a MacPherson front and “H-arm multi-link” rear suspension, with four-wheel disc brakes incorporating regenerative braking.
The safety spec list comprises adaptive cruise control with stop/go, forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and lane departure warning, and traffic jam assist, as well as blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert with braking, driver fatigue monitoring, and auto high-beam lights.
It also features a drive mode system with Eco, Sport, Comfort and Custom options.
Other spec highlights include a head-up display with augmented reality navigation, a 15.6-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth, a 14-speaker sound system with driver headrest speaker, a wireless phone charger, ambient lighting, gesture control, online music and navigation, and over-the-air updates.
In further proof the Aussie market is about to see an unprecedented number of new players, Changan is also expected to offer a Toyota LandCruiser 300 rival with petrol range-extender engine.
It’s known as the G318, with that rugged off-road model said to be built on a ladder-frame chassis for more hardcore unsealed ability.
