While we are yet to get any clear indication as to whether or not Chinese carmaker Deepal will enter the New Zealand market, the latest release in Australia really makes us want to see it here.
Deepal Australia has officially opened pre-orders for its brilliant E07 Multitruck, as well as revealing pricing for the unique vehicle that can transform from an SUV into a light-duty ute in seconds.
The E07's "transformable body" allows for what appears to be a conventional (albeit slightly awkward) coupe SUV style vehicle to transform into a ute at the push of a button, with a retractable glass "tonneau" sliding into the roof, while a glass divider rises up from behind the rear seats, enclosing the cabin but leaving the rear tray open.
Alternatively, the divider can be retracted and the rear seats dropped for even more usable load space, with Deepal claiming a 524 litre volume for the tray, which expands to 1654 litres with the seats folded.
The tailgate folds flat for easy access and the E07 has a 300kg payload capacity, meaning it won't be rivalling double cab one-tonne utes for hauling abilities, but then it's not supposed to, boasting - as it does - a leather-lined luxury interior more in keeping with the SUV side of its split personality.
Inside, the E07 packs "zero-gravity" massage seats in the front and a 15.4-inch high-definition floating central infotainment touchscreen which can tilt left or right by 15 degrees for use by either the driver or front seat passenger, while in the rear, the centre console and door armrests have been designed as "floating islands" in order to offer a more open feel to the space and enhanced storage options.
"This is a vehicle that refuses to be boxed in," said Cormac Cafolla, General Manager of Deepal Australia.
"We’re giving Australians something they’ve never seen before - a high-performance, ultra-versatile multitruck with flexibility and freedom at its core. It can carry, cruise, camp and connect, all in one package."
While it is available in its home market in both electric and range extender plug-in hybrid forms, only the EV version has been made available in Australia so far, in both RWD and AWD forms.
The RWD variant is priced at AU$64,990 and features a single electric motor that produces 252kW and 365Nm, launching it from 0 to 100km/h in just 6.9 seconds, while the AWD variant costs AU$73,990 and packs two electric motors with a combined output 440kW and 645Nm, with a brisk 0 to 100 time of just 3.9 seconds.
Both versions of the electric E07 are powered by the same 89.98kWh battery, with Deepal claiming a range of up to 642km for the RWD and up to 626km for the AWD, albeit measured under the outdated NEDC cycle. The E07’s 800V electrical architecture supports ultra-fast charging - adding up to 350km of range in just 15 minutes.
While Deepal has yet to confirm whether or not New Zealand is in its sights, the brand is distributed by Inchcape in Australia, the company that handles Subaru, LDV and KGM (formerly SsangYong) in New Zealand, with industry whispers suggesting that a New Zealand debut could be on the cards.
With its smaller, softer, rounder Cybertruck looks and combination of SUV and ute abilities, we reckon the E07 would be a perfect fit for the New Zealand market, filling the gap under the full one-tonne pickups that is left sadly empty here due to the lack of RHD availability of the car-based utes like the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz.
