2025 Deepal E07 review: International first drive

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2025 Deepal E07

Australians love utes, and the latest breed of dual-cabs – such as the Ford Ranger, the 2023 Drive Car of the Year – blend SUV practicality and convenience with off-road ability and load-carrying capabilities better than ever before.

But not everyone wants the compromises that come with those attributes: an often truck-like diesel engine, firm ride, old-school construction, and sheer size of modern utes.

Petrol-electric plug-in hybrids like the BYD Shark 6 are going some way to addressing those shortcomings, but they are still big, work-ready vehicles on a ladder-frame chassis.

The Deepal E07 – due in Australia in the second half of this year – is a world away from a Ranger or HiLux.

It promises to blend the passenger cabin and driving experience of an SUV, and a choice of electric or 'range-extender' powertrains, with the tail of a ute, and styling that carries a whiff of a rounded-off Tesla Cybertruck.

It's a left-of-field proposition from one of Australia's newest car brands, Deepal – a Chinese marque owned by Changan, one of China's largest car makers, and distributed in Australia by Inchcape, the distributor of Subaru and Peugeot vehicles locally.

Is it the ute that urban buyers never knew they needed, or one niche too far? Drive was invited to China as a guest of the manufacturer to test the E07 ahead of its Australian launch later in 2025.

How much is a Deepal E07?

That is arguably the biggest question still to be answered about the E07, and one that won't be confirmed until closer to its local showroom arrival due in the second half of this year.

It is also yet to be announced if Australia will receive one or both versions of the E07 – an electric (EV) version, and a range-extender.

In China, the electric E07 is available with a 70.54kWh battery and 165kW rear motor, an 89.98kWh battery and 252kW rear motor, and an 89.98kWh pack with 440kW dual-motor all-wheel drive. We think the latter two are most likely for local showrooms.

Meanwhile, the range-extender fits a 1.5-litre petrol engine under its bonnet, used to generate electricity when its 39.05kWh battery runs low. Its wheels are driven solely by electric motors, either one 231kW unit at the rear, or dual motors with 362kW.

Deepal executives have suggested the E07 will be more expensive than the related S07 mid-size electric SUV, which in Australia is priced from $53,900 plus on-road costs.

In China, the E07 is priced from 199,900 to 319,900 yuan ($AU43,000 to $AU69,000) in electric form, or from 209,900 to 299,900 yuan ($AU45,300 to $AU64,800) in range-extender guise.

The flagship, dual-motor electric Deepal E07 in its home market is 62 per cent dearer than an Australian-equivalent S07 EV, which could suggest a price Down Under of more than $85,000.

We don't think it will be that expensive – as it would push the E07 close to Ranger Raptor price territory – but an RRP for the flagship model closer to the $75,000 mark is not out of the question. Either way, this is speculation and yet to be confirmed.

There are no direct rivals for the Deepal E07. Its closest competitors would be other car-derived utes, the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, but these are not sold in Australia, likely never will be (as they are not made in right-hand drive), and are not electric or range-extenders.

Buyers could come from a mid-size SUV like the Deepal S07 – as well as a hybrid alternative like a Toyota RAV4 ($54,410 for a Cruiser AWD) – or a conventional ute like a Ford Ranger ($68,840 for an XLT V6 4×4) or BYD Shark 6 ($57,900).

It looks like a shrunken, rounded-off Tesla Cybertruck, but that vehicle isn't sold in Australia either, and if it did, it would likely be dearer than its US price of $US79,990 ($AU125,000).

How big is a Deepal E07?

The Deepal E07 splits the size difference between a mid-size family SUV and a modern dual-cab, four-wheel-drive ute, measuring 5045mm long, 1996mm wide and 1680mm tall on a 3120mm wheelbase.

There's a lot in common with a Deepal S07, though likely in part due to the fact it's not sold as a Deepal in China – instead under the Changan Nevo brand – the E07 is not a carbon copy.

There is no instrument display ahead of the driver, instead nearly every function in the car runs through the large touchscreen – measuring 15.4 inches in the E07 vs 15.6 in the S07.

Deepal has included an augmented-reality head-up display to show speed and vital information – something Tesla insists on omitting – but there are few physical controls, so adjusting the air conditioning or even moving the mirrors requires taking your eyes off the road and digging through the touchscreen.

Whereas even the plushest diesel utes are lined with hard plastics, the E07 follows a more luxurious – but likely less durable and work-ready – route with leather-look materials everywhere from the doors to the glovebox that are soft to the touch.

Similar leather-like materials trim the power-adjustable, heated and ventilated front seats, and the cabin is well equipped, with 256-colour ambient lighting, USB ports, a wireless phone charger, and even a fragrance system among the amenities in Chinese models.

We like the orange interior of the Chinese-market car we tested, and it's a fair chance to reach local showrooms given a similar option is offered locally alongside black in the S07.

There is plenty of storage on offer, with an exceptionally deep centre console box, a large open area under the dual cupholders and 'floating' centre console, and decently sized door pockets, but it all comes at the cost of no glovebox.

The vast span between the wheels – longer than a dual-cab HiLux despite being nearly 300mm shorter nose to tail – means rear-seat space is excellent, with more than enough knee room and head room for a 186cm-tall passenger behind a similarly sized driver, with ample under-seat toe room.

The floor is flat – a benefit of the EV-focused design – and under-thigh support is available in Chinese models, though the leg room on offer means rear passengers can stretch out.

There's a USB-C charging port to charge devices, plus air vents, a fold-down armrest with cupholders, and more of the soft-touch materials seen up front.

But it's the tub that's the most interesting part of the Deepal E07.

A power-operated glass tonneau cover – which slopes down from the passenger cabin, rather than a horizontal surface like a conventional ute – and power-operated tailgate are part of the standard package. Closed, the E07 looks much like a coupe-styled SUV.

Press the button on the tailgate and the window between the tailgate and tonneau drops down, and the latter slides up. Buttons inside the load area then allow the tailgate to be lowered to make full use of the load area.

You can then press a button on the back of the centre console to drop the rear window, lower the rear seats, and pull another strap to drop the partition to create an even longer load area that extends to the front seatbacks.

It's not the first ute with this feature – some car-derived pick-ups have offered what they called a ‘midgate’ – but it’s something no conventional dual-cab on sale in Australia, with their cabin and tray as separate items, can match.

The tonneau can also be partially opened to quickly load smaller items, while the entire set-up can be closed at the push of a button inside the cargo area.

Deepal does not quote dimensions for the tub, but it lists a 524L volume for the tray – exactly how that was measured is unclear – which expands to 1654L with the seats folded, plus a further 131L under the bonnet in electric models.

On sight alone, the tray is not as big as a Ranger or HiLux's tray, but it's roomy enough to call the E07 a ute. There's no payload for Australia yet, but it's said the lowered tailgate can carry 300kg.

There's a power outlet on the right side of the Chinese model's tub – with an Australian plug, interestingly – plus some underfloor storage, tie-down points, a net on the left side, and an elastic strap on the right side.

Despite considerable under-floor space, there is no spare wheel, just a tyre repair kit. It's common in electric SUVs, but a critical omission for a ute.

Does the Deepal E07 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

Standard in the Deepal E07 overseas – and likely Australia – is a 15.4-inch touchscreen, slightly smaller than the 15.6-inch display in the S07 SUV.

While no one who drove the car was able to switch the screen from Chinese to English, the software is similar in appearance and menu structure to the S07, with bright graphics and quick response times.

We did find the screen's swivelling function – branded as the 'sunflower' – allowing it to tilt towards the driver, front passenger or anywhere in between. It's a nifty feature, though it seems like a gimmick rather than genuinely useful.

Expect Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on local models, but this is yet to be confirmed.

In lieu of an instrument cluster, we found the augmented head-up display clear and easy to read in our short time behind the wheel.

Whether the E07 will be offered with smartphone companion app support in Australia remains to be seen.

What safety technology does the Deepal E07 have?

Specifications are yet to be confirmed for Australia, but in China the E07 is available with a full suite of advanced safety features.

They include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alerts with braking functions, a driver attention monitor, and safe exit assist.

The jury remains out on how well they will perform in the real world.

The first batch of Deepal S07 SUVs to reach Australia have been criticised for overzealous safety systems, primarily an intrusive attention monitor that beeps when the driver takes their eyes off the road for more than a moment.

The company is working on a software update for the S07 aimed to fix the issues, and has committed to testing the E07's safety systems on Australian roads – with engineers flown out from China – to ensure they work correctly before the vehicle goes on sale.

ANCAP testing for the vehicle is yet to be confirmed.

What is the range of a Deepal E07?

Deepal Australia is yet to confirm technical details for the E07, and whether it will offer the electric or range-extender, or both, with all formally "under consideration".

If it sells the electric version, it's expected to use the Chinese model's larger 89.98kWh battery as standard, which in other right-hand-drive markets is offered with rear- or all-wheel drive.

Preliminary specifications shared with Australian media suggest a targeted driving range in European WLTP testing of 560km for the rear-wheel drive, and 520km for the all-wheel drive – against 640km and 590km claims under less stringent NEDC testing overseas.

If the E07 can achieve those WLTP forecasts, it would be the longest-range electric ute sold in Australia.

The 89.98kWh battery uses nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) chemistry – also referred to as ternary lithium – and, in China, unlocks an 800-volt electrical system.

DC fast charging at up to 240kW is quoted – much faster than the slow-by-modern-standards 92kW the Australian S07's 79.97kWh pack is limited to – for a claimed 30 to 80 per cent recharge in 15 minutes or less.

Few EVs can charge as quickly – a Hyundai Ioniq 6 (77.4kWh) powered up from 30 to 80 per cent in about 13 minutes in Drive testing, but even the fastest-charging Tesla Model 3 (60kWh RWD) needs 25 minutes.

AC charging at up to 7kW is quoted, meaning a full charge is estimated to take nearly 13 hours – slow for such a large battery.

What is the Deepal E07 like to drive?

Our time behind the wheel of the E07 was exceptionally brief, limited to a flat and damp sealed skidpan where obstacles to steer around were rare and bumps were even rarer.

The first impressions of this ute-SUV mash-up we were able to collate were positive, though.

Three versions of the electric E07 are available in China: a 70.54kWh battery and 165kW rear motor, 89.98kWh battery and 252kW rear motor, and an 89.98kWh pack with 440kW dual-motor all-wheel drive.

Meanwhile, the range-extender fits a 1.5-litre petrol engine under its bonnet, used to generate electricity when the 39.05kWh battery runs low. Its wheels are powered solely by the electric motors, either one 231kW rear motor or dual motors with 362kW.

We were given access to one model grade, which Deepal says was the flagship electric model capable of 0–100km/h in a claimed 3.96 seconds.

It didn't feel quite that fast, but what we experienced was performance more than brisk enough by any measure – family SUV, ute or electric car – with power that rolls on smoothly, rather than slamming you into the back of the seat like a Tesla.

A 2.4-tonne electric SUV doubling as a ute is never going to be set up to carve corners, but the E07 handled itself well around a tight test course we threw it around, with some body roll but respectable grip from the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres.

The steering is direct, and has some heft to it in Sport mode, though it doesn't tell the driver much about what the wheels are doing, and it's not quite as quick as a conventional family SUV.

The overseas spec sheet lists a 12.3-metre turning circle – which is big, comparable with a Ford Ranger that's 300mm longer nose to tail – but the E07 feels more agile than that.

It was hard to get an accurate feel of ride comfort on a smooth skidpan, but the few expansion joints present in the surface suggest a soft, cushy suspension tune. We will need to wait until the E07 reaches Australia to determine how it performs on a real road.

Our short taste suggests it exhibits less of the terseness over smaller imperfections found in a traditional dual-cab ute, which generally use old-school leaf springs on the rear axle to support heavy loads in the tray, rather than the E07's SUV-esque double-wishbone front and multi-link independent rear designs.

Adaptive air suspension is standard in high-grade E07s overseas – including the one we drove – which would help smooth out bumps.

Regenerative braking rolls in linearly as the accelerator pedal is released, and the brake pedal does not feel too soft or mushy – nor too firm – though our time behind the wheel was, again, too brief to reach a proper judgement.

We didn't test it off-road, but don't expect to keep up with a Ranger on a rocky slope. That isn't the point of the car, admittedly, and most owners are unlikely to take their E07 beyond a gravel road en route to a campsite.

Changan China quotes a 21-degree approach angle, 23- or 24-degree departure angles, ground clearance of between 174mm and 192mm, and a respectable 600mm maximum wading depth. The 20- or 21-inch wheel options will limit tyre choices.

Can a Deepal E07 tow?

The Deepal E07 is expected to be able to tow, but exactly how much is yet to be locked in.

The S07 can pull up to 1500kg braked, which would be low for the ute class if matched by the E07.

The diesel ute towing benchmark is 3500kg, while a BYD Shark 6 – all on ladder-frame underpinnings, rather than a car-derived chassis, which usually compromises towing abilities – can pull a quoted 2500kg.

Should I buy a Deepal E07?

The Deepal E07 is one of the most unique new cars we've tested in the past few years.

On this early impression it presents well, with a roomy cabin, plenty of technology, and a car-like driving experience mixed with the practicality of a ute tray – and then some.

Whether it is a niche offering or a high-volume seller will hinge on the price.

If it's close to the S07 SUV – in the realm of $60,000 – it could find a decent pocket of buyers after the best of a ute and an electrified SUV, but it may struggle with an RRP closer to $80,000.

We're keen to spend more time behind the wheel of the E07 on Australian roads – and tell you how much it costs – later this year.

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