Changan Deepal S07 begins another Chinese EV attack on Europe

It is just a week now without a new Chinese automaker starting in Europe. The last one to join the market is Changan, one of the most respected. In fact, on a former pretext, this was the first company in China to build cars. Now Changan enters the EU and the United Kingdom With not one but three brands. The first vehicle arrives at Deepal Marque. The Deepal S07 is, unexpectedly, a medium-sized SUV-the most popular car shape. But has a sto end standing from the crowd?

Deepal S07: attractive design plus interior space

The first remarkable thing for the Deepal S07 and Changan in general is that the company’s world design center is not in China. It has been in Turin, Italy since 2001. For this reason, the world’s world design of Changan Bertrand Bach claims that the Deepal S07 has European aesthetics and I will tend to agree with it. Although the angular nose is now quite common in the clean designs Bev now, the application of the Deepal S07 is quite impressive. It’s not exactly aggressive but definitely appropriate.

Like so many recent SUVs, the Deepal S07 has a coupe appearance with a Slanier behind a regular vehicle in this class. However, there is a piece of design here, as the decorative line from the C-Centar on the rear slopes, but there is some roof line above it, which means that the back is more upright than it seems. This is not the first time I have seen this design method – Smart #3 uses it. But that doesn’t stop being a good idea to make a car look more sporty.

Although the Deepal S07 is therefore attractive abroad, its best features are in. The interior is still very modern, but it also uses a pleasant combination of materials. This gives the car one of the top trim I have seen in a Chinese car in this class. Deepal chose to follow Tesla by not providing the dashboard instruments. However, unlike the American brand, a head-up screen is provided, which offers a lot of information. One thing that is missing, annoying, is the speed limits, so if you lost the signs, you will need to look down on Satnav on the main entertainment screen to confirm what the prevailing maximum legal speed is. But otherwise, this is an excellent alternative to a dashboard screen, and I really wish Tesla has this as a factory choice.

The amount of space for the rear seat passengers is also commendable. Despite the appearance of the coupe, the car’s ceiling does not start to fall far behind, so the head is good for adults. There is also a lot of leg room, more than you would expect to look at the car from abroad. The rear passengers also receive their own digital controls over the air conditioning and if there is no medium -sized passenger, the back can be pulled forward to make a comfortable armrest with built -in cups.

The rear luggage compartment is decent, but not as curious as the rear passenger compartment. The main cargo rear is 445 liters. If you throw the rear seats forward, the space extends to 1,385 liters. However, if you want to remove the shelf of the parcel, you need to throw the seats forward and you can’t bring it back with them back. There is a large Frunk with 125 liters, enough for a large bag, so overall there is plenty of luggage capacity.

Driving Deepal S07

The Deepal S07 is not particularly powerful from EV standards, with “only” 217hp and 320nm torque. Even in athletic mode, it will take 7.9 seconds to reach 62 miles / h, which was quick in the season of inner combustion, but many bevs are much faster now. Changan’s World Design Manager, Bertrand Bach, also told me that the suspension regulation is different for Europe. This is softer for the Chinese market, but more difficult for Europeans, who prefer a more attractive driving. In my short test experience, it looks right for the United Kingdom. There is still sufficient softness for tougher surfaces, but some response to a little fun.

If the performance is not particularly separate, the range and charge capabilities are also average. The 80kWh battery delivers 295 miles to the WLTP cycle, which is about as expected for an SUV in this category (although the Tesla Y model progresses more with a similar battery). During my test driving, which included about 45 miles, in a variety of ways and at a variety of speeds, including about 100 miles / hour in German Autobahn, the car achieved close to 3 miles per kWh. This would give him about 240 miles from the real world, which is reasonable.

However, the DC charge only goes to 93kW, which is behind the peak of the days. This means that it will take 35 minutes to reach 30% to 80%. This is not the end of the world and will not exclude driving long distances. But there are many competitors of this category of size, including the Leapmotor C10, Xpeng G6, and of course the Tesla Y. Changan model proposes a starting price of € 45,000, which could mean that it arrives in the United Kingdom under the magic of £ 40,000. Although the Deepal S07 is a beautiful example of the genre, both inside and outside, it is against some fierce competition.

Deepal S07 arrives with friends

Although the Deepal S07 will be the first Changan vehicle sold in Europe, it will soon be joined by eight models in three years. Along with Deepal, there will be models under the name Changan and the luxurious marque of the company, Avatr. Changan doesn’t just release Bevs. There will be reevs (EVS extending) and hybrids to its composition. There is a trend in China to PHEV with large electric rows and Changan talked about the 200 kilometers of all electric capabilities along with 1,000 kilometers with fossil fuels.

One of the most interesting vehicles that appeared during the launch was the Changan E07, which defies the categorization, although Tesla Cybertruck has resonated in some respects. Externally, it looks like a huge four -door coupe (5 meters long), but has some unusual tricks to its sleeves. The back is like a closed bed. Instead of having a hinged cover, the glass slides over and over the vehicle, a little like a cybertruck blind, except that it is transparent and solid. What is left of the rear door depends on the downhill position to provide access to the level. Initially, this rear space is separated from the back of the E07 from the rear seats and a glass barrier, but the barrier can be withdrawn and the seats fall forward, making a huge space.

The front seats can also be blocked and if you remove their head restraints, these seats can be flat with the rear cargo space. This could make a big area for sleep, for example. The passenger side also has its own entertainment screen turning the roof, so the front seat passenger could watch the display -based means while mixing luxurious. This is a unique set of features that can be very radical for the mass market, but it is definitely a bold and innovative design. My first experience of the Changan brand was driving a receipt from the company to Saudi Arabia, so it is suitable that E07 is a kind of receipt. This car was to be a powerful vehicle for low cost, but the E07 is much more luxurious in intent, and much more interesting.

The biggest focus of Changan luxury is the Avatr brand, however. It even offers exclusive “Royal Editions” and a Limited Edition version, created in collaboration with fashion designers such as 012 created in collaboration with Kim Jones, creative director of Dior Homme and artistic director of Fendi Women’s. This is a special version of Avatr 12. Similarly, there is a 011 based on Avatr 11, created with the creative director of Givenchy Matthew Wiliams.

But to begin its European expansion, Changan starts with the mainstream Deepal S07, as part of a plan to enter at least 10 European markets by the end of 2025. The days are gone when Chinese automakers were precisely cheap. The latest releases also have great quality and technology. We are in for an interesting years in the car world.