Incoming EV and range extending Deepal SUVs could be these

Its initial product range consisting of a solitary model, the all-electric S07, come the fourth quarter of the year, Changan-owned Deepal will only bolster its range in 2026 with the addition of two further SUVs

While not detailed at the brand’s market announcement in Rosebank, Johannesburg, last month, importer, Jameel Motors, did confirm select details pertaining to segment size as well as a choice of full electric or range extending electric (REEV) powertrains.

EV or REEV

Whereas its parent company will offer a mix of combustion, electric and range extending electric powerplants as well, none of the Deepal products will have the former as the main source of propulsion.

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Still one of the newest Chinese brands established in 2017 as Changan New Energy, but renamed Deepal in 2022, the brand’s only product not destined for South Africa is the L07 sedan, which premiered three years ago as the first official Deepal vehicle.

Besides the S07, the K50 Hunter bakkie that will be sold as a Changan with or without the revised Deepal styling, and the all-electric coupe-styled E07 bakkie that will most likely be marketed as the Nevo E07 as in China, the only other Deepal-badged products consist of the S05 crossover and the rugged G318 SUV.

Again, while no official confirmation was made, the lack of any other products in Deepal’s product range all but points to the S05 and G318 being the models set for introduction next year alongside the S07.

S05

Unveiled towards the end of last year in China, the S05, as its name points out, will be positioned below the S07 and powered solely by an electric powertrain despite a range extending option being available.

Dimensionally, the S05 measures 4 620 mm long, 1 900 mm wide and 1 600 mm tall, with its wheelbase stretching 2 880 mm.

By comparison, the S07, which also provides seating for five, measures 130 mm longer, 30 mm wider, 25 mm taller and 20 mm longer on the wheelbase front.

Power-wise, the S05 uses a 56.1-kWh battery pack driving a single electric motor mounted on the rear axle.

Producing 175kW/320Nm, the S05 has a claimed range of 510 km based on China CLTC’s measurements, and will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. Top speed is limited to 180 km/h.

Accommodating DC charging up to 152 kW means a waiting time of 20 minutes will be required from 30-80%. At the same time, the S05 supports vehicle-to-load or V2L up to 6.6 kW.

In China, specification consist of a 15.4-inch infotainment display, so-called zero gravity seats, a Head-Up Display in place of an instrument cluster, a 14-speaker, 1 260-watt sound system, Remote Control Park, Adaptive Cruise Control, a 540-degree camera system, tri-zone climate control, a transparent bonnet view camera, Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving and a Tesla-style sentinel system called Smart Guardian.

As with the S07, pricing for the S05 wasn’t revealed and will only be made official in 2026. In China, prices range from 119 900 yuan (R308 179) to 145 900 yuan (R375 007) depending on the powertrain.

G318

Introduced months before the S05, thus making it the oldest of the new arrivals, the G318 adopts a boxy off-roader appearance similar to the BAIC B30 and the Ford Bronco.

A closer rival to the former, the G318 takes its name from the highway connecting China with Nepal and rides on a unibody platform with styling unique to and not directly in line with Deepal’s overall corporate looks.

Sporting the spare wheel fixed to the rear door, the G318 has dimensions of 5 018 mm in overall length, a width of 1 985 mm, height of 1 885 mm and wheelbase of 2 880 mm. Claimed ground clearance is 210 mm.

Riding on alloy sizes between 18-inch and 20-inches, the G318 has a rated boot capacity of 818-litres, which increases to 1 747-litres with the split rear seat folded forward.

Up front, the range extending G318 pairs the ubiquitous combination of a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor and battery pack.

As per the range extender moniker, the 110kW combustion engine is solely used to charge the 18.4-kWh battery pack that powers the 185kW/310Nm electric motor on the rear axle.

With a bigger 35.1-kWh battery and a secondary motor in place, the all-wheel-drive G318 develops a combined 315kW/572Nm, which allows for a top speed of 185 km/h and 0-100 km/h in 6.3 seconds.

As well as air suspension, a rear diff-lock and a simulated central locker, the all-wheel-drive comes fitted as standard with Hill Descent Control, a creep function and five off-road modes: Mud, Snow, Sand, Wading and Rugged.

A unique addition is the so-called Turn Around function. Designed for low-grip surfaces, the setup spins the front wheels in a reverse Tank Turn or G Turn style without turning the G318 through 360-degrees as in the Tank 300 and all-electric Mercedes-Benz G580.

In terms of spec, the Chinese market G318 comes equipped with a 14.6-inch infotainment system, a wireless smartphone charger, panoramic sunroof, self-scanning adaptive suspension over and above the air setup used on the all-wheel-drive called Magic Carpet Ride, a 540-degree camera system, LiDAR, transparent bonnet view camera, Adaptive Cruise Control, ambient lighting and the sentinel monitoring system from the S05.

Priced from 175 900 yuan to 318 000 yuan in China, which equates to a directly converted R452 164 to R817 443, local pricing for the G318 will only be announced once sales kick-off in 2026.

Additional information from carnewschina.com and Deepal China.

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