Deepal

Deepal is a futuristic, mainstream mid-to-high-end New Energy Vehicle (NEV) brand owned independently by Changan Automobile, dedicated to creating trendy mobility choices for young people with "smart technology plus sporty driving fun" at its core. Deepal Automobile Technology Co., Ltd. was established on May 28, 2018, originally named Chongqing Changan New Energy Automotive Technology Co., Ltd., and completed its name change in April 2023. The company is headquartered at No. 39 Yonghe Road, Yuzui Town, Jiangbei District, Chongqing, with a registered capital of 470 million RMB. The company is jointly held by Changan Automobile, Chongqing Yufu Group, Nanjing Runke Industry Investment Co., Ltd., and others, serving as the main carrier of Changan Automobile's "Shangri‑La Plan" new energy strategy and the pioneering carrier of the "Beidou Tianshu Plan" and "Haichuan Plan." Deng Chenghao serves as the legal representative and chairman, and Jiang Hairong serves as CEO. The brand name is derived from the English word "Deepal," meaning "deep sea," symbolizing deep exploration of technology and products.

Development History

Initial Founding and Brand Launch (2018–2022)

In May 2018, the company was officially established, with its predecessor being Chongqing Changan New Energy Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. In 2019, it completed its first round of financing, becoming the first central state‑owned enterprise automaker to implement mixed‑ownership reform. On April 13, 2022, the Deepal brand was officially launched externally, initially operating under the name "Changan Deepal." In July of the same year, the first mass‑produced model, the SL03, began delivery, pioneering three replenishment methods: pure electric, extended range, and hydrogen‑electric. Just 33 minutes after launch, orders exceeded 10,000 units, marking the beginning of the brand's growth. Within only 14 months of the brand's establishment, it completed its first 100,000 deliveries, setting a new growth record for central state‑owned new energy brands.

Independent Operation and Scale Leap (2023–2024)

In March 2023, the brand officially changed its name and began operating independently. That same year, the second model, the S07, was launched. Deliveries exceeded 10,000 units in 40 days, setting new industry records, and it was the first model to feature the Huawei Qiankun Intelligent Driving System. In 2024, the hardcore SUV G318 was launched, adopting new Blue Whale hybrid technology and successfully entering the off‑road sub‑market. In August 2024, Deepal was recognized by the State‑owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) as one of the first batch of brand‑leading enterprises. That same year, its battery pack R&D project won the Second Class Award for National Science and Technology Progress.

Technological Leap and Global Expansion (2025–Present)

The year 2025 marked a period of key breakthroughs for Deepal. Its parent company, Changan Automobile, reorganized into China Changan Automobile Group, becoming the third automotive central state‑owned enterprise, and Deepal was positioned as the "core force" of the new central enterprise. That same year, Deepal completed Series C financing of 6.122 billion RMB, bringing cumulative financing to over 15.2 billion RMB. Second‑generation products began orderly development. Its independently developed micro‑core high‑frequency pulse heating technology won the 25th China Patent Gold Award. For the full year of 2025, Deepal's global sales reached 333,100 units, a year‑on‑year increase of 36.6%. In 2026, just 45 months after the brand's founding, it achieved a cumulative delivery milestone of 800,000 units. In March, Deepal's one‑millionth electric drive unit rolled off the production line. In April, the Deepal L06 Max was officially launched at the Beijing Auto Show, and a four‑year brand strategy upgrade was announced. Following China Changan's release of the "1445" Global Strategy, Deepal and Avatr are set to undergo strategic integration before the end of 2026, fully opening up their mid‑to‑late R&D, supply chain, and manufacturing systems.

Product Portfolio

Deepal has completed the full layout of its first‑generation products, covering sedans, SUVs, and hardcore off‑road vehicles. Based on vehicle dimensions, the lineup forms a product gradient of compact, mid‑size, and large models, creating a "3 vertical by 3 horizontal" product matrix.

Sedan Series, represented by the L06 and L07. The Deepal L06 is the brand's first sports coupe, positioned as a "pure‑blood driving coupe that young people can afford without pressure," with a price range of 118,900 RMB to 149,900 RMB. Powertrain options include both pure electric and extended‑range versions. The pure electric version offers a range of up to 670 km, while the extended‑range version achieves a combined range of up to 1,505 km on a full tank and full battery. The Deepal L07 focuses on "super extended range plus Huawei Qiankun intelligence," precisely capturing young users' dual needs for trendiness and quality.

SUV Series, covering models such as the S05, S07, and S09. The Deepal S05 is a compact SUV priced between 119,900 RMB and 149,900 RMB, offering dual powertrains: pure electric (520 km or 620 km) and extended range (200 km pure electric range). The Deepal S07 is a mid‑size SUV with the Huawei Qiankun ADS SE intelligent driving system as standard across the lineup, equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P chip and DEEPAL OS 4.0. The Deepal S09 is a large family six‑seat smart flagship SUV, featuring a CATL 5C battery and the Huawei Qiankun ADS 4 intelligent driving assistance system, equipped with a 192‑line LiDAR and supporting "park‑to‑park" 2.0 fully automatic navigation‑assisted driving.

Hardcore Off‑Road Series, represented by the G318 Worry‑Free Cross Version. This model adopts new Blue Whale hybrid technology, breaking the traditional hardcore off‑road stereotype of "heavy off‑road, light comfort" and expanding the brand's differentiated market segment. In addition, Deepal plans to launch a large SUV, the "Series 8," positioned between the S07 and S09, targeting the 200,000 RMB to 250,000 RMB price range, equipped with an all‑new architecture and Level 3 intelligent driving capabilities.

Market Performance

In recent years, Deepal's sales have continued to grow, but the brand also faces dual pressure from fierce market competition. In 2025, Deepal's cumulative global sales for the full year reached 333,100 units, a year-on-year increase of 36.6%. Although this outpaced the overall new energy market growth rate of 17.6%, it fell short of both the early‑year target of 500,000 units and the mid‑year adjusted target of 360,000 units. This marks the third consecutive year that the brand has failed to meet its annual sales target. Despite these challenges, Deepal remains firmly the sales champion among central state‑owned new energy automakers. As of April 2026, cumulative deliveries had broken the 800,000‑unit mark.

From a financial performance perspective, Deepal's operating revenue from 2022 to 2024 was 15.677 billion RMB, 26.926 billion RMB, and 37.224 billion RMB, respectively, showing a steady growth trend. Net profits over the same period were -3.196 billion RMB, -3.107 billion RMB, and -1.571 billion RMB, with losses narrowing year by year. In the first ten months of 2025, operating revenue reached 39.797 billion RMB, with a net loss of 1.025 billion RMB. Deepal has achieved an operating turning point, with monthly sales exceeding 30,000 units, and has reached profitability on a phased basis in certain months.

Deepal has developed several standout models, or "big singles," at the product level. Since its launch, the Deepal S05 has achieved cumulative sales of over 200,000 units and topped the registration charts for compact pure electric SUVs in Spain for two consecutive months. The Deepal S07 is popular in over 80 countries worldwide, with cumulative users exceeding 300,000. The newly launched Deepal L06 posted monthly sales of 5,135 units, a month‑on‑month growth of 170%, becoming a new growth engine for the brand. As of April 2026, Deepal had deployed 750 stores nationwide and is promoting a store SI2.0 image upgrade.

Core Technologies

Deepal relies on Changan Automobile's "six countries, ten locations" global R&D system, adhering to a full‑stack independent research route. It has cumulatively obtained over 2,754 authorized patents, mastered 164 core technologies, and successively won the National Science and Technology Progress Second Class Award, the China Patent Gold Award, and other national honors.

Platform and Powertrain form the core cornerstone of Deepal. The independently developed Force Super Integrated Electric Drive has completed the production of one million units, having undergone four generations of technical evolution, with a total system efficiency of 94.13%, ranking among the highest globally. In March 2026, Deepal officially announced the production of its one‑millionth electric drive unit, marking the full maturity of its full‑stack independently developed three‑electric technology. In terms of power, Deepal has built a technical route comprising three parallel paths: pure electric, super extended range, and hydrogen energy, with its "Super Extended Range" technology effectively addressing user range anxiety.

Three‑Electric and Battery Safety are key investment areas for Deepal. The Deepal lineup is equipped with CATL lithium iron phosphate battery cells and the Jinzhongzhao battery system, achieving an excellent safety record of 600,000 kilometers with no noticeable degradation and zero overheating across 650,000 units. Deepal continues to advance battery safety R&D, with its Jinzhongzhao battery system centered on the core demands of "long life, true safety, and super high efficiency." In May 2025, Deepal opened up its "Key Technology Patent Group for Electric Vehicle Power Battery Safety (112 patents)" and its "Micro‑core High‑frequency Pulse Heating Technology Patent Group (50 patents)" to the entire industry, promoting the electrification process across the sector. The micro‑core high‑frequency pulse heating technology addresses user range anxiety in extremely cold regions by rapidly heating the battery.

Intelligent Driving and Cockpit represent Deepal's core competitiveness. Deepal has formed a dual‑track strategy consisting of its independently developed DEEPAL AD intelligent driving system and collaboration with Huawei Qiankun intelligent driving. The Deepal L06 debuted with the DEEPAL AD Max system, adopting a one‑stage end‑to‑end intelligent algorithm, with LiDAR and two Horizon J6M chips as standard across the series, delivering a total computing power of 256 TOPS. The system supports highway and urban pilot assistance, intelligent parking, and the industry's first city autonomous roaming function. On larger vehicles, the Deepal S07 comes standard with Huawei Qiankun ADS SE, while the Deepal S09 is equipped with the ADS 4 version and a 192‑line LiDAR. In the intelligent cockpit field, the Deepal L06 globally debuted MediaTek's 3nm automotive‑grade chip, featuring the Dimensity Cockpit S1 Ultra, with infotainment system performance leading mainstream industry chips by 33%.

Chassis and Driving Control Technology serve as an important technical barrier distinguishing Deepal from its competitors. The Deepal L06 globally debuted a magnetorheological suspension system, with suspension response speeds of up to 1,000 times per second and a hardness‑to‑softness adjustment range as wide as six times, achieving a moose test score of 85.6 km/h. The vehicle also adopts integrated die‑cast body technology and a CTV (cell‑to‑vehicle) battery body integration solution, significantly improving overall structural rigidity and lightweighting.

Replenishment System wise, Deepal has achieved breakthroughs in both 3C and 5C fast charging. Vehicles supporting 3C supercharging can charge from 30% to 80% battery in 15 minutes. The S09, equipped with a CATL 5C battery, goes even further, supporting a 50% charge replenishment in just 10 minutes.

Global Presence

Deepal has built an extensive global presence. As of April 2026, it has entered more than 110 countries and regions, establishing overseas business departments in five core regions: the Middle East and Africa, Central and South America, Eurasia, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

In terms of production and supply chain expansion overseas, the Rayong factory in Thailand represents a milestone for Deepal and for Changan's overseas strategy. The project has a total investment of approximately 10 billion Thai baht (2 billion RMB), with an initial planned capacity of 100,000 units per year in Phase I and an eventual capacity of 200,000 units per year in Phase II. It is the most advanced new energy vehicle factory in Southeast Asia. The factory primarily supplies right‑hand drive vehicles, with vehicles rolling off the assembly line meeting the needs of the Thai local market while also being exported in batches to several European countries. In December 2025, the first batch of 500 Deepal S05 vehicles was exported from the Rayong factory to Europe.

In terms of regional market performance, Deepal has established a strong foothold in the European market by meeting high certification standards. The S07 has successively earned both Euro NCAP and Australian ANCAP five‑star safety ratings, as well as C‑NCAP five‑star certification, making it a globally rare "three‑times five‑star safety vehicle." The Deepal S05 has won international accolades such as the German iF Design Award, Thailand's Best Rear‑Wheel Drive Compact Electric SUV of the Year, and Chile's Best Recommended Car. At the specific market level, the Deepal S05 topped the compact pure electric SUV registration charts in Spain for two consecutive months in February and March 2026. At the 2026 Bangkok International Auto Show, Deepal secured 4,927 orders. In terms of export volume, Deepal's overseas sales in January 2026 surged 112.6% year‑on‑year.

Future Outlook

Deepal has set an ambitious goal of achieving one million units in global annual sales by 2030 and joining the ranks of world‑class electric vehicle brands. In terms of product planning, second‑generation products have begun orderly development and are scheduled to enter the market from 2026 onward, with a cumulative total of 30 brand‑new models to be launched before 2030. Deepal will further promote in‑depth collaboration with Huawei and CATL, advancing Level 3 conditional autonomous driving functions toward commercial application. The Deepal SL03 has already been approved for an L3 entry permit, and next‑generation products will be fully equipped with L3 intelligent driving technology, while keeping related configuration costs within a reasonable range acceptable to mainstream consumer groups.

In channel development, Deepal plans to build a global network covering more than 3,500 stores, further expanding its market coverage. Under China Changan's "1445" global strategy, Deepal and Avatr will complete strategic integration by the end of 2026. The front end will maintain independent brand operations, while the mid‑to‑back end will share technical platforms, three‑electric systems, intelligent driving, supply chains, and manufacturing systems. Following the integration, public resource costs are expected to be reduced by 20% to 30%, with R&D and production efficiency improving in tandem.

Relying on overseas production bases such as the Rayong factory in Thailand, Deepal will continue to deepen its three‑step strategy of "product going overseas, brand going overseas, and industry going overseas." Guided by its slogan "Deep Blue Technology, Arrive at the Future First," Deepal will continue to propel the Chinese new energy vehicle industry from product‑level competition into a new era of technological leadership and global competition.