The Changan Deepal S05 Ultra PHEV, Changan’s first plug-in hybrid, launches in the UK from £32,990. A 172kW motor drives the front wheels while a 1.5-liter engine mainly generates electricity. Its 18.4kWh LFP battery gives 62 miles of WLTP electric range and 648 miles combined. It supports 55kW DC charging.
Changan, the automaker headquartered in Chongqing, China, has launched the Deepal S05 Ultra plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) in the UK, priced from £32,990. The compact SUV is the company’s first plug-in hybrid. An electric motor drives the front wheels in almost all conditions, while the gasoline engine works mainly as a generator.
The drivetrain combines a 172kW permanent-magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) with a 63kW, 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with its own generator. The engine produces electricity that either feeds the drive motor directly or charges the battery. Total system output is 190kW (255hp) and 300Nm (221lb-ft) of torque. The SUV accelerates from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds and has a top speed of 112mph.
A wet clutch between the engine and the driveline is normally disengaged, keeping the engine mechanically separate from the wheels. It engages only when the driver requests full power at speeds above 60mph, when the engine and motor drive the wheels together, typically for a few seconds at a time.
According to Ken Pendlebury, group chief engineer, powertrain, at Changan Europe, “The Deepal S05 Ultra PHEV is electric-first by design. The electric motor does the driving almost all of the time, and the petrol engine contributes under certain conditions. The engine only connects directly to the wheels when cruising on the highway for peak efficiency and supplements the battery when full vehicle performance is required.”
“So, whether the battery is full or running low, the car responds like an electric car, with a petrol engine there to support longer journeys. It offers consumers the acceleration, speed and responsiveness of an EV, with the peace of mind of never worrying about when or where to charge,” he adds.
Energy is stored in an 18.4kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, the same chemistry used in the all-electric Deepal S05. The fuel tank holds 51 liters (13.5 US gallons). Under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), the PHEV has 62 miles (100km) of electric range and a combined range of up to 648 miles (1,060km). Weighted combined fuel consumption is 139.2mpg (UK), falling to 52.3mpg (UK) with a depleted battery. Weighted combined CO2 emissions are 47g/km, and weighted energy consumption is 18kWh/100km.
The battery supports direct current (DC) charging at up to 55kW, charging from 30% to 80% in around 15 minutes. Alternating current (AC) charging is supported at up to 11kW.
Drivers choose between three energy settings. EV mode runs on battery power while charge remains above around 23%, starting the engine only under hard acceleration or to top up the battery; a Pure EV setting forces battery-only running. Hybrid Auto uses the battery down to around 15-20%, after which the engine generates electricity to maintain charge. Hybrid Manual lets the driver set a target charge level between 30% and 80%, which the engine holds. A Stationary Self-Charge function runs the engine to charge the battery while parked.
Ethan Yin, executive deputy general at Changan Europe, says, “The Deepal S05 Ultra PHEV is built for UK drivers ready to make the move to electric on their own terms. It delivers real electric driving for the daily journeys, the commute and the school run, with a petrol engine on hand for longer trips.”
“That’s how most people will make the switch to electric: gradually, in a way that suits how they actually drive. We’ve made sure this car makes that switch easy, in a well-equipped, well-priced SUV built for the everyday,” he adds.
The PHEV shares its body, cabin and technology with the electric Deepal S05, styled at Changan’s European design center in Turin, Italy. It measures 4,598mm (181in) long, 1,900mm (74.8in) wide and 1,600mm (63in) high, with a 2,880mm (113.4in) wheelbase, a drag coefficient of 0.29 and a curb weight of 1,850kg (4,079lb). Cargo capacity is 552 liters (19.5ft³) plus 60 liters of underfloor storage, rising to 1,310 liters (46.3ft³) with the rear seats folded. Braked towing capacity is 1,600kg (3,527lb) with the optional tow bar.
The SUV has a five-star European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) rating. Its 17 standard driver assistance systems enable SAE Level 2 assisted driving using 14 sensors: six ultrasonic sensors, three millimeter-wave radars, four surround-view cameras and one high-definition camera. Over-the-air (OTA) software updates are standard.
The Pro trim costs £32,990 and the Max £34,990. The vehicle warranty is seven years or 100,000 miles, and the battery warranty eight years or 124,000 miles. Changan’s UK R&D center in Birmingham, which employs more than 100 engineers, carries out validation and tuning for UK roads and regulations.
