Chinese Tesla rival to cost £5k less than Musk's Model Y and boast near 300-mile range
A huge Chinese car manufacturer has vowed to launch in the UK, selling a model that will compete directly with the Tesla Model Y at a lower price.
As sales of new Teslas plummet in various markets across the world, another new Chinese company is set to bring a new electric car to the UK, which will rival one of Elon Musk's most popular models. ChangAn is one of China's oldest car companies, starting as a manufacturer of light-weight Jeeps in 1959. Whilst the company has ties with Mazda and Ford, ChangAn also produces a considerable range of unique models which are due to launch on the UK market in July 2025.
One of the most significant ChangAn models set to be introduced into Europe will be the Deepal S07 - a five-door crossover that will rival models such as the Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen ID.4, and BYD Seal U. Featuring styling by an Italian design house and technology by Huawei and CATL, the S07 offers particularly striking, angular looks, with a sharp crease underneath the thin LED headlights and bulky air vents at the bottom of the front bumper. However, whilst the front end is particularly flat and aggressive, the rest of the car adopts a much softer appearance, with curved window lines blending into the C-pillars and flush-fitting door handles.
Much like the Tesla it is set to compete against, the ChangAn Deepal S07 features a particularly minimalist interior, with practically all of the buttons on the dashboard removed in favour of controls on the 15.6-inch touchscreen.
In its native China, buyers can choose between a white, black, or brown synthetic leather interior, which the company claims was inspired by high-end yachts - featuring a substantial centre console that divides the front passengers and LED lighting around the cabin.
Other standard features offered on Asian market examples include power-adjusted front seats with heating and ventilation, wireless phone charging, voice and gesture control, and frameless doors.
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The ChangAn Deepal S07 is powered by a 215bhp electric motor, driving the rear wheels, and a hefty battery with a usable capacity of 80kWh.
As a result, performance figures are not quite on par with the Tesla Model Y, taking 7.9 seconds to accelerate from 0-62mph and covering a maximum range of 295 miles per charge.
The Deepal S07 will be slightly cheaper than Elon Musk's best-selling EV, though, with prices in Europe set to start at €45,000 (£37,955), with experts speculating a UK price of about £40,000.
When it launches in the UK, the Deepal S07 will be joined by a number of other models, including the S05 - a slightly smaller crossover which would likely rival the likes of the Volvo EX30, BYD Atto 3, and Jeep Avenger.
Whilst pricing for the smaller model has yet to be revealed, motorists in China can get behind the wheel of an S05 from just 119,900 yuan (£12,799).
Whilst it is unlikely that motorists will able able buy a Deepal S05 for as little as that in the UK, customers will likely be able to choose between four variants, including a fully-electric or range-extender hybrid powertrain.
