Changan to Introduce Two Electric Cars in Pakistan

Master Changan Motors Limited (MCML) is set to launch its popular electric vehicle (EV) brand, the Deepal S07 SUV and L07 Sedan variants in the coming months. While official confirmation from the company remains pending, a senior executive hinted at the impending introduction of an electric vehicle, refraining from divulging specifics about the model.

Operating under the ambit of the ambitious Vast Ocean Plan, Changan, MCML’s parent company, has unveiled three distinct electric vehicle brands – Avatr, 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 privy to the developments revealed 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 exuded confidence in the potential of electric vehicles, emphasizing key factors such as the burgeoning demand driven by Pakistan’s youthful demographic, projected to necessitate an additional 360,000 vehicles by 2030. Moreover, the declining cost of EV batteries, expected to plummet below $99/kWh by 2027, is anticipated to catalyze widespread adoption globally.

However, he underscored the challenges confronting 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 surmount these obstacles, Shabbiruddin proposed recalibrating the classification criteria to incentivize all categories of pure EVs, alongside 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.