Changan takes direct control of Deepal in Australia from Inchcape

Key takeaways

• Changan takes over Deepal distribution from Inchcape by 31 March 2027
• Existing orders will be honoured, and servicing, warranty and parts support continue
• The future dealer network and S05 launch timing remain unconfirmed

Changan will take over distribution of its Deepal electric car brand in Australia. The move ends Inchcape’s role as the brand’s local importer after two years.

The companies announced the split on 22 October 2026. A handover period began on 21 October and runs until 31 March 2027 and Changan will take over distribution within that window.

Inchcape called it a mutual decision, part of a regular review of which brands suit its growth plans.

What the Deepal handover means for owners and buyers

Both companies say sales, servicing, warranty programs, parts and customer support will continue and all existing orders will be honoured. Owners keep access to factory trained technicians, genuine parts and diagnostic updates throughout the transition.

Current Deepal models carry a warranty of seven years or 160,000km, plus eight years or 240,000km on the battery.

Changan Australia said dealers will keep operating as normal during the transition. Talks about the future dealer network are still ongoing and the company is still deciding how it will sell cars here. Many Deepal outlets are linked to Subaru, Peugeot and Foton dealerships, so the network after March is not yet settled.

The local range is the S07 midsize electric SUV and the E07 Multitruck, a cross between an SUV and a ute that arrived in September 2025. The S07 is now advertised at $47,990 driveaway, well below its $53,900 launch list price. It competes with midsize electric SUVs such as the Tesla Model Y and Kia EV5. The E07 starts at around $70,000 driveaway.

Why Changan is taking Deepal back

The decision reverses Inchcape’s recent position. In August, it said Changan had no plans to take over Deepal. Last week it said it was finalising plans for the brand’s next phase, including the S05 and S07.

Changan is building its own Australian operation. Its premium Avatr brand arrives in the first half of 2027 with the 07L large electric SUV, and its mainstream Nevo brand is also due next year. Deepal will sit between the two and in China the E07 is already sold as a Nevo.

Sales under Inchcape have been slow. Deepal reported 924 VFACTS deliveries to the end of September, 610 of them S07s. That puts it behind fellow newcomers Leapmotor (1168) and Xpeng (1183), and far behind Geely on 23,632.

The S05 small electric SUV was first promised for the second half of 2025 and still hasn’t arrived. Neither company gave new timing for it.

Deepal is the third brand Inchcape has dropped since August 2024, after Citroen and Peugeot. It keeps Subaru and Foton.

Changan must take full control of Deepal by 31 March 2027. Buyers should watch for confirmed S05 timing and the announcement on the future dealer network, which Changan says will follow.