Deepal S07 – second EV SUV coming to Malaysia via Bermaz; up to 258 PS, 475 km WLTP range
As previously reported, Deepal is set to enter Malaysia under Bermaz starting in the middle of next year, and today we’re taking a look at the Deepal S07. Previously called the S7, this is an electric SUV that’s slightly larger than the newer S05 that we detailed yesterday.
Measuring 4,750 mm long, 1,930 mm wide and 1,625 mm tall, the S07 is 130 mm longer, 30 mm wider and 25 mm taller than the S05, while its 2,900 mm wheelbase is 20 mm longer. That makes it around the same size as the Xpeng G6 that Bermaz also sells, as well as the Tesla Model Y.
Power comes from a single rear motor that is slightly more powerful than the one in the S05, producing 258 PS (190 kW) and 320 Nm of torque. This allows the S07 to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 180 km/h. A 68.82 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery provides a range of 485 km on the mildly optimistic NEDC cycle.
A long-range variant, called the S07 L in Thailand, adds a larger 79.97 kWh LFP pack but also detunes the motor to 218 PS (160 kW), resulting in a slower century sprint time of 7.9 seconds. In return, the range is much farther at 560 km. This is the sole version offered in Australia, where the quoted range is 475 km on the more realistic WLTP cycle.
Being an older model, the S07 can only accept up to 92 kW of DC fast charging power, compared to around 170 kW for the S05. As such, topping up the long-range battery from 30 to 80% takes more than double the time, at 35 minutes. A full charge using an 11 kW AC charger, meanwhile, takes eight hours.
Chinese-market models only get the short-range battery but a faster DC charging rate (3C, or around 200 kW), taking just 15 minutes to charge the battery from 30 to 80%. They also get the option of a 53 PS/141 Nm 1.5 litre range extender as well as a choice of 18.99, 31.73 and 39.05 kWh batteries, providing an all-electric range of 95, 165 and 210 km respectively. Total range varies from 1,045 to 1,200 km.
The design of the S07 is sportier and more distinctive than the pebble-smooth S05, with an aggressive X-shaped front bumper, larger air intakes, sharper lines, an upswept window line with a D-pillar cut (creating a “floating roof” look) and signature three-point lighting signatures in both the split headlights and the full-width taillights.
Inside, the S07 is similar to the S05, with a minimalist cabin dominated by a massive 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, again running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip. Front occupants get heating, ventilation and massage functions, and there’s also an ottoman for the passenger. An augmented reality head-up display, a panoramic glass roof and a 14-speaker Sony sound system are also offered.
Driver assists include the de rigueur Level 2 semi-autonomous driving features such as adaptive cruise control and lane centring assist, but the Chinese-market version has recently been updated with Huawei’s advanced Qiankun highly-automated driving technology. This adds automatic lane changes, intelligent obstacle avoidance, corner speed control, park assist and the ability to navigate highway entry and exit ramps, similar to Tesla’s Navigate on Autopilot.
Again, bringing in Deepal makes sense from Bermaz’s perspective. The brand’s owner Changan is Mazda’s joint venture partner, and in fact, the Japanese carmaker has badge-engineered the related L07 sedan as the EZ-6, the electric replacement for the Mazda 6.
That car is tipped for global markets, meaning there’s a high possibility for it to come to Malaysia. The S05 is also set to form the basis of the production version of the Mazda Arata concept, shown at Auto China in Beijing earlier this year.
As such, introducing these closely-related Deepal models would make a lot of sense, as it can provide after-sales support for both brands very easily.
GALLERY: Deepal S07 at BIMS 2024
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