Out with the old, in with the new. Following vehicle importer Inchcape’s announcement it will discontinue Citroen sales by year-end, the brand has decided to simultaneously introduce Deepal, an all-EV brand under the Chinese automotive giant Changan. Deepal is set to launch in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2024, joining Inchcape’s existing lineup, which includes Subaru and Peugeot. Another Chinese brand, ute specialist Foton, is also slated for a local debut during the same timeframe.
The Deepal global lineup
Colin Christie, Managing Director, Inchcape Australasia, said: “We are pleased to welcome Deepal to the local market and look forward to offering Australian consumers a range of all-electric vehicles that deliver a compelling combination of style, performance and innovative technology.
“As we continue to diversify and grow our local distribution portfolio, the Deepal distributorship in Australia further demonstrates Inchcape’s commitment to delivering on our Accelerate strategy and strengthening our global presence as the undisputed number one distribution partner of choice.”
Deepal and Foton are part of a growing wave of Chinese automotive brands anticipated to enter the Australian market in the coming year, alongside notable names like Geely, Xpeng, Zeekr, Jaecoo, and Leapmotor and joining already-established brands like Chery, LDV, GWM and MG.
The flagship model for Deepal’s Australian launch will be the S07, an electric SUV that has already been spotted testing in local conditions and has received approval for sale. While specific pricing and detailed specifications are still pending, Australian government documents indicate that the S07 will feature a 160kW electric motor, while a more powerful 190kW variant is available in China.
In China, the S07 comes equipped with a choice of two lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries: a 66.8kWh option providing a range of 520km (under the more lenient CLTC cycle) and a larger 79.87kWh version that offers up to 628km. Notably, Deepal also offers the S07 with a range-extender powertrain that includes a 1.5-liter petrol engine. While plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) such as the Mitsubishi Outlander also feature sizeable batteries, alongside petrol engines, range extender EVs have much larger batteries, coupled with engines which are used as pure generators.
Measuring 4750mm in length (with a 2900mm wheelbase), 1930mm in width, and 1625mm in height, the S07 is comparable in dimensions to the Tesla Model Y, albeit slightly narrower. The vehicle weighs in at 2073kg and has braked and unbraked towing capacities of 1500kg and 750kg, respectively—100kg less than the Model Y.
According to government documents, the S07 has been approved exclusively with 20-inch wheels.
Safety features on the S07 are robust, including adaptive cruise control with stop/go functionality, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, traffic jam assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic assist, driver fatigue monitoring, and automatic high-beam headlights.
Inside, the S07 boasts a head-up display with augmented reality navigation, a 15.6-inch touchscreen compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay, gesture controls, and over-the-air updates. Additional amenities include a wireless phone charger, ambient lighting, and a premium 14-speaker sound system that features speakers integrated into the headrests.
Stay tuned to DiscoverAuto more updates as we learn about pricing and further specifications ahead of the S07’s launch.
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