The Deepal 05 from Changan joins the 07; larger and cheaper than the BYD Atto 3 and the Lynk & Co 02. Soon, similarly-priced launches of the Atto 2 and the Leapmotor B10 are expected—and the category may awaken anew.
The expectations that electric vehicles (EVs) would be cheaper than petrol and hybrid cars are beginning to materialize, after a year of declining sales and tens of thousands of vehicles that could not be sold 12 months after their arrival in the country.
Importers and manufacturers are reacting to the market, and the Deepal 05, which launched domestically, will start at around NIS 150,000—12-20 thousand shekels cheaper than the list price of other Chinese electric crossovers in this category such as the BYD Atto 3, Lynk & Co 02 or the Geely EX5.
The Deepal 05, the not-so-small sibling of the Deepal 07 already sold here, has a relatively clean design, not a rugged “SUV-style” look, which allows a relatively low drag coefficient of 0.25. The dimensions are generous: Length 4.62 m, width 1.90 m, height 1.60 m, and wheelbase 2.88 m. The rear trunk volume is 492 litres and the front boot is 159 litres. The weight ranges between 2,015 to 2,115 kg.
The offering includes two drivetrain systems. Both of the base models have rear-wheel drive, 272 hp and 29.5 kg·m of torque. Performance: 0-100 km/h in 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 180 km/h. A 68.8 kWh battery offers an official combined range of 485 km and fast-charging at 200 kW. Slow charging is possible at 11 kW. There is also an option for external device charging.
The sporty version adds a front motor and the output jumps to 435 hp, with torque rising to 51 kg·m. Range falls to 445 km, acceleration shortens to 5.5 seconds and the top speed remains the same.
The base PRO model (from NIS 150,000) comes with 18″ alloy wheels, a 15.4″ multimedia/infotainment screen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, rear-air-vent outlet, artificial leather upholstery, and a control & information mobile app.
The MAX model (from NIS 160,000) upgrades to 20″ wheels and adds a panoramic glass roof with electric blind, front seats with heating and ventilation, wireless phone charging, a head-up display, power tailgate, a Sony sound system with 12 speakers, and more.
The MAX AWD 4×4 model (from NIS 190,000) comes with identical equipment.
Safety: The model has not yet been tested in the European crash test. It has 7 airbags, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot vehicle detection, door-opening warning for an occupied lane and child-forgetting alert.
Warranty: 6 years or 150,000 km for the vehicle, 8 years or 150,000 km for the battery and electric drive system.
The Deepal 05 renews competition in the electric-vehicle market and also in the NIS 150,000 category. It is larger and more modern than the electric Chery FX and JAC 5, and shortly the BYD Atto 3 and Leapmotor B10 electric cars will join it, expected to offer similar starting prices.
The NIS 150,000 version is a fleet vehicle intended to offer the lowest possible usage cost to the recipient from the employer, and the NIS 160,000 version offers the best value in terms of price versus equipment. The sporty version will compete primarily with the MG 4 XPower, with performance that just a few years ago you could get from a sports car costing hundreds of thousands of shekels.
But even competitive pricing does not solve the problem currently enveloping all EVs: The shortage of public charging stations for those without private parking. For them a plug-in version is planned to arrive mid-next year.