Chinese brand Deepal will arrive in Australia from Q4 this year, starting with the S07 all-electric SUV that is likely to compete with models like the Tesla Model Y.
Inchcape Australasia has been named the official distributor for the incoming brand, adding to its growing arsenal of brands which includes Subaru, Peugeot and most recently Foton.
The Deepal brand sits under the umbrella of Chinese state-owned Changan Automobile, which happens to be China’s oldest automotive manufacturer and a top-four player in its home market.
According to reports, Changan plans to build up to 1.2 million vehicles outside of China by 2030 and the company considers Australia to be a ‘strategic market’.
“We are delighted to have Inchcape as our partner in the Australian market”, said President of CHANGAN Automobile Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, Shen Xinghua.
“We have studied the Australian market for several years as CHANGAN sees Australia as a strategic market. Collaborating with Inchcape and introducing our successful DEEPAL brand and product, we have strong confidence that we can deliver new energy mobility and better services to Australian customers.”
Inchcape says the partnership will leverage the strengths of both parties, including Deepal’s advanced R&D capability and products and Inchcape’s local market experience.
“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,” said Inchcape Australasia Managing Director, Colin Christie.
“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.”
Local pricing and specification details are yet to be revealed, but with a Q4 launch on the cards we expect to hear more soon.
