Changan heading to Australia, but won't take over Deepal distribution

Chinese automotive giant Changan is busily hiring staff in Australia as it plans to launch its namesake brand here, along with luxury offshoot Avatr, but there'll be no change of distribution for Deepal.

Launched here in 2024, Deepal is a Changan-owned brand which is currently distributed by Inchcape. The UK-owned distributor also handles Subaru in Australia, as well as Chinese commercial vehicle brand Foton and, in the short term, French brand Peugeot.

"We can confirm there are no plans for Changan to take over the distribution of Deepal vehicles in Australia from Inchcape," said a spokesperson for Inchcape Australia.

"Inchcape remains focused on continuing to grow Deepal's presence in the Australian market, supported by Changan as Deepal's parent company."

Changan is currently advertising on LinkedIn for an Australian network development manager who is "crucial in supporting the planning, expanding, optimising and management of the Avatr/Changan sales and service network".

It's also advertising for a senior marketing manager for a "new premium automotive brand to Australia" – almost certainly referring to Avatr – who will report to Changan's local head of brand and marketing.

Inchcape announced in September 2024 it had been appointed the Australian distributor of Deepal. It's unclear how long this contract is for.

"We cannot comment on the specific terms of our commercial agreements, but our focus remains firmly on continuing to grow Deepal's presence in Australia," said an Inchcape Australia spokesperson when asked when the existing arrangement will expire.

Australian deliveries of Deepal's debut model in Australia, the mid-size S07 electric SUV, commenced in December 2024. However, the brand didn't appear in monthly VFACTS sales reports until May 2025.

Just 481 Deepal deliveries were recorded in Australia in 2025, not far off Leapmotor (644) but well behind Geely (5010). All three Chinese brands launched around the same time, initially offering only a sharply priced mid-size electric SUV.

Deepal added a second model late in 2025, the E07 Multitruck. But even with another model in its stable, year-to-date Deepal deliveries in 2026 are sitting at 816 units, which is still close to Leapmotor (910) but well behind Geely (a whopping 14,655 vehicles).

A smaller, likely more affordable model, the S05 electric SUV, still has yet to appear in local showrooms. Confirmed in February 2025 for a local launch in the second half of that year, it remains absent from local showrooms and is now not expected until the second half of this year.

Deepal exclusively offers electric (EV) or extended-range electric (EREV) vehicles in China. It commenced Chinese deliveries in 2022, the same year as Avatr.

While it's only a young brand, parent company Changan has a long history.

Founded in 1862 as a military supplier, Changan started producing off-roaders in the 1950s, before it began manufacturing civilian vehicles – Suzuki models built under license – in 1984.

State-owned Changan subsequently established joint ventures with Suzuki, Ford and Mazda, though only the latter two survive today. The Changan Mazda joint venture produces not only vehicles for the Chinese market, but the new Mazda 6e and CX-6e EVs offered in Australia.

Avatr, which has close ties with tech giant Huawei, started producing its first vehicles in 2022, and has launched a new model each year since – all with either EV or EREV powertrains.

It'll be the latest in a growing number of premium Chinese brands coming to Australia, following Geely's Zeekr and BYD's Denza. FAW's Hongqi brand has confirmed it's coming here too in 2027, under the HQ name.

Both the Avatr 07 and the slightly larger, more coupe-like 11 are already produced in right-hand drive for markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore.

The 07, which has already been spied testing in Australia, could serve as the Avatr brand’s rival to the popular Zeekr 7X in Australia, as well as premium electric SUVs such as the Audi Q6 e-tron, Lexus RZ and Cadillac Optiq.

It's less clear which Changan-badged models could come here.

Technically, there's already one Changan-brand vehicle here: the E07, which is sold in China not under the Deepal brand but rather under Changan's Nevo sub-brand.

The Nevo sub-brand is also host to the Q05, a small electric SUV already confirmed for right-hand drive markets such as Thailand and the UK. In the latter market, where it'll be launched in 2027, it'll be called the E06.

It's manufactured in both China and Thailand, and measures 4435mm long, 1855mm wide and 1600mm tall on a 2735mm wheelbase, making it slightly larger than the Jaecoo J5.

Thai-market models use a 51.9kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and a 120kW/190Nm front-mounted electric motor, with 162kW DC fast-charging and 462km of NEDC range.

Beyond the Nevo range, which focuses on electric and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles, Changan offers a wide range of sedans and SUVs with petrol, hybrid and PHEV powertrains.

This includes the mid-size UNI-S and medium/large CS75 Pro crossover SUVs exported to right-hand drive South Africa, both of which use a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.

There's also a question mark over the Hunter K50, which is sold as either a Changan Nevo or Deepal depending on the market. This is a dual-cab EREV ute, featuring a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a 31.18kWh LFP battery, and 70kW/150Nm and 130kW/320Nm electric motors for a NEDC electric range figure of 131km and total system outputs of 200kW and 470Nm.

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