Master Changan Motors Limited (MCML) is gearing up to introduce its popular electric vehicle (EV) brand, the Deepal S07 SUV, and L07 Sedan variants shortly.
While awaiting official confirmation from the company, a senior executive hinted at the imminent launch of an electric vehicle, refraining from disclosing specific details about the model.
Operating within the ambitious Vast Ocean Plan, Changan, MCML’s parent company, has unveiled three distinct electric vehicle brands – Avatar, Deepal, and Nevo—tailored to cater to diverse customer segments.
Syed Shabbiruddin, Director of Sales and Marketing at MCML, shed light on the company’s strategic vision, revealing plans to introduce one of these electric vehicle brands into the Pakistani market soon.
Insiders familiar with the developments disclosed that MCML is in the advanced stages of preparing for the launch of the Deepal S07, a versatile mid-size crossover SUV, and the Deepal L07, a sleek fastback sports sedan, both meticulously crafted by Deepal, Changan’s electric vehicle subsidiary.
Having jointly developed its EV-centric platform in collaboration with industry stalwarts Huawei and CATL, Changan recently unveiled the Deepal L07 sedan and Deepal S07 SUV in Thailand, a market akin to Pakistan in terms of right-hand drive preferences.
Shabbiruddin exhibited optimism regarding the prospects of electric vehicles, pointing out elements like the rising demand fueled by Pakistan’s youth population, which is expected to require an extra 360,000 by 2030. Moreover, the declining cost of EV batteries, expected to plummet below $99/kWh by 2027, is anticipated to catalyse widespread adoption globally.
However, he underscored the challenges facing EV proliferation in Pakistan, citing regulatory hurdles such as the classification of EVs based on battery capacity, which inadvertently disincentivizes certain models. Moreover, stringent price regulations at charging stations pose a barrier to investment in charging infrastructure, hindering the sector’s viability.
To overcome these obstacles, Shabbiruddin proposed recalibrating the classification criteria to incentivize all categories of pure EVs, advocating for policy amendments to facilitate easy financing and subsidize interest rates for EV purchases.
Furthermore, he stressed the importance of enhancing charging station margins and conducting mass awareness campaigns on EV battery handling and storage practices.
