Changan Deepal S07 Starts Another Chinese EV Onslaught In Europe

Forbes

29-03-2025

Barely a week goes by now without a new Chinese automaker launching into Europe. The latest to join the market is Changan, one of the most venerable. In fact, in a former guise this was the first company in China to manufacture automobiles. Now Changan is entering the EU and UK with not one but three brands. The first vehicle arrives on the Deepal marque. The Deepal S07 is, unsurprisingly, a medium-sized SUV – the most popular car format. But does it have an edge sto stand out from the crowd?
The first notable thing about the Deepal S07 and Changan in general is that the company's global design center is not in China. It has been located in Turin, Italy since 2001. For this reason, Changan's global design director Bertrand Bach claims the Deepal S07 has a European aesthetic, and I'd tend to agree with that. Although the angular nose is now quite common in pure BEV designs now, the Deepal S07's implementation is quite striking. It's not exactly aggressive but certainly purposeful.
Like so many recent SUVs, the Deepal S07 has a coupe look with a slantier back than a regular vehicle in this class. However, there's a bit of design trickery here, as the trim line from the C-pillar to the rear slopes but there is some roofline above this, meaning the rear is more upright than it looks. It's not the first time I've seen this design method – the Smart #3 uses it too. But that doesn't stop it being a good idea for making a car look sportier.
The interior has a premium feel about it.
Changan
Although the Deepal S07 is therefore attractive on the outside, its best features are inside. The interior is still very modern but also uses a pleasant combination of materials. This gives the car one of the most premium finishes I've seen on a Chinese car in this class. Deepal has chosen to follow Tesla by not providing any dashboard instrumentation. However, unlike the American brand, a head-up display is provided, which offers plenty of information. One thing lacking, annoyingly, is speed limit information, so if you missed the signs you will need to look down at the satnav on the main infotainment screen to confirm what the prevailing maximum legal speed is. But otherwise, this is a great alternative to a dashboard display, and I really wish Tesla had this as a factory option.
The amount of space for rear-seat passengers is commendable, too. Despite the coupe look, the car ceiling doesn't start dropping until far back, so the headroom is good for adults. There is a lot of leg room too, more than you would expect looking at the car from outside. Rear passengers also get their own digital controls over air conditioning, and if there is no middle-seat passenger the back can be pulled forward to make a comfortable armrest with integrated cupholders.
Rear luggage space is decent, but not as surprising as the rear passenger space. The basic rear cargo space is 445 liters. If you drop the rear seats forward the space expands to 1,385 liters. However, if you want to remove the parcel shelf you have to drop the seats forward, and you can't get it back in with them back up. There's a sizeable frunk with 125 liters, enough for a large bag, so overall there is plenty of luggage capacity.
The Deepal S07 isn't particularly powerful by EV standards, with 'just' 217hp and 320Nm of torque. Even in Sport mode, it will take 7.9 seconds to reach 62mph, which was fast in the internal combustion era but many BEVs are a lot faster now. Changan's global design director Bertrand Bach also told me that the suspensions setup is different for Europe. This is softer for the Chinese market, but harder for Europeans, who prefer a more engaging drive. In my short test experience, it seems about right for the UK. There is still sufficient softness for rougher surfaces, but some responsiveness for a little bit of fun.
If the performance isn't particularly special, the range and charging capabilities are also mediocre. The 80kWh (net) battery delivers 295 miles in the WLTP cycle, which is about as expected for an SUV in this class (although the Tesla Model Y goes further with a similar battery). During my test driving, which comprised about 45 miles, in a variety of modes and at a variety of speeds including close to 100mph on a German autobahn, the car achieved close to 3 miles per kWh. That would give it around 240 miles of range in the real world, which is reasonable.
However, DC charging only goes to 93kW, which is way behind the leading edge these days. This means it will take 35 minutes to go from 30% to 80% charge. That's not the end of the world and won't preclude long-distance driving. But there are a lot of competitors in this size class, including the Leapmotor C10, XPENG G6, and of course the Tesla Model Y. Changan is suggesting a starting price of €45,000, which could mean it arrives in the UK at under the magic £40,000. Although the Deepal S07 is a good-looking example of the genre, both inside and out, it's up against some stiff competition.
Although the Deepal S07 will be the first Changan vehicle on sale in Europe, it will soon be joined by eight models in three years. Alongside Deepal, there will be Changan-branded models and the company's luxury marque, AVATR. Changan is also not just releasing BEVs. There will be REEVs (range extending EVs) and hybrids in its lineup. There is a trend in China towards PHEVs with long electric ranges, and Changan talked about having 200km of all-electric capability alongside 1,000km with fossil fuel.
One of the most interesting vehicles on show at the launch was the Changan E07, which defies categorization, although it has echoes of the Tesla Cybertruck in some respects. Externally, it looks like a huge four-door coupe (it is 5m long), but it has some unusual tricks up its sleeves. The rear is like an enclosed pickup bed. Rather than having a hinged covering, the glass slides up and over the vehicle, a bit like the blind of a Cybertruck, except it's transparent and solid. What remains of the tailgate then hinges downwards to provide level access. Initially, this rear space is separated from the rear of the E07 by the rear seats and a glass barrier, but the barrier can be retracted and the seats dropped forward, making a huge space.
The front seats can also be reclined, and if you remove their headrests, these seats can be level with the rear cargo space too. This could make a big area for sleeping, for example. The passenger side also has its own infotainment screen that flips down from the ceiling, so the front-seat passenger could watch screen-based media while reclining luxuriously. This is a unique set of features that might be too radical for the mass market, but it's certainly a bold and innovative design. My first experience of the Changan brand was driving a pickup from the company in Saudi Arabia, so it's fitting that the E07 is sort of a pickup. That car was all about being a robust vehicle for a low cost, but the E07 is much more luxurious in intention, and much more interesting.
AVATR is Changan's luxury brand.
James Morris
The biggest focus of luxury from Changan is its AVATR brand, however. It even offers exclusive 'Royal Editions' and a 0 Series limited edition, created in partnership with fashion designers such as the 012 created in partnership with Kim Jones, Creative Director of Dior Homme and Artistic Director of Fendi Women's. This is a special version of the AVATR 12. Similarly, there is an 011 based on the AVATR 11, created with Givenchy's Creative Director Matthew Wiliams.
But to kick off its European expansion, Changan is starting with the mainstream Deepal S07, as part of a plan to enter at least 10 European markets by the end of 2025. The first four are Norway, Germany, The Netherlands and the UK. The days are gone when Chinese automakers were just about being cheap. The latest releases have plenty of quality and technology to offer, too. We're in for an interesting few years in the car world.