Master Changan plans to Accelerate Pakistan’s mass EV Adoption with DEEPAL – Startup Pakistan

Nationwide chargers across 17 cities, long range battery packs at competitive price and nationwide after sales support. 

Master Changan Motors Limited (MCML), a joint venture between Master Group of Industries and Changan International, unveils Changan’s electric-first brand, DEEPAL on August 16th 2024, at Dolmen Mall Clifton, Karachi. Customers can have first hand experience and test drive cars at Dolmen Mall until the 25th of August. 

MCML unveiled the brand Deepal with 2 models, L07, the pure electric sports luxury sedan and S07 the pure electric premium SUV. Both cars offer thrilling 250 HP and 320 Nm of instant torque, going from  0-100 km/hr in just 5.9 seconds. The Ternary Lithium battery by CATL has a capacity of 66.8 kWh and provides an exceptional range of up to 540 km in L07 and 485 km in S07. The cars are designed in Italy in Changan’s R&D center and have won the German RedDot design award in 2023 with its head-turning futuristic design language.

The indicative introductory price announced is comparable to other cars with gasoline engines (both ICE & Hybrids). MCML is offering a complementary fast home charger of 7kW with every car that can charge in 5-8 hours. 

The word DEEPAL signifies Deep Friendship (Pal), the brand was born from a joint partnership between three global giants: Changan, Huawei, and CATL who join hands to create best value for customers using economies of scale. Changan, one of China’s largest and oldest automobile brands developed the EV-first EPA-01 platform. Huawei contributes with its advanced Harmony OS intelligent software using the Snapdragon 8155 processor, while CATL, the world’s leading battery manufacturer, provides the Ternary Lithium battery with 99% SOC accuracy virtually eliminating the range anxiety. 

41% of Pakistan’s energy mix is based on non-fossil fuel energy generation, on the other hand the oil import bill of USD 15.16bn is Pakistan’s largest imported commodity that has the most burden on the country’s foreign reserves. It makes economic sense to support mass adoption of Electric Vehicles that do not consume fuel alone or in tandem with batteries. Electric Vehicles that are charged using home installed solar systems can replace a large portion of the fuel import for cars, and will improve the country’s economic condition. 

Despite the presence of over 2,000 EVs in the country the mass EV adoption is yet to start. “We have identified 4 challenges to tackle in order to catalyze mass EV adoption; first is the introduction of the right pure EV product at the right prices, second is the efficient battery for long driving ranges, third is the nationwide after-sales support network and fourth is the charging infrastructure in 17 cities.” said Danial Malik while sharing the company’s plans. 

As a constant disruptor in the automotive space, Master Changan resolves the first challenge by introducing Deepal at a price comparable to older generation gasoline and hybrid models. It solves the second challenge by offering the best in class range of up to 540 km that takes you from Lahore to Islamabad in single charge or can be used within city for a whole week on a single charge, the third challenge by offering industry leading warranty of 8 years or 240,000 km while equipping 23 Changan dealerships for in 17 cities for after-sales support to EVs. Master Changan Motors plans for the fourth and biggest challenge by expanding Pakistan’s current national charging network from 5 cities to 17 cities with 23 new charging points. 

Furthermore, Master Changan Motors, committed to driving the mass adoption of EVs in Pakistan, plans to introduce 3 to 4 new locally assembled EV models in the next 2 years. Master Changan Motors remains committed to leading the way in Pakistan’s automotive industry, bringing innovative solutions that benefit both the environment and the economy.