Changan will take responsibility for distributing its Deepal brand in Australia, replacing Inchcape after the companies agreed to end their arrangement. The handover is scheduled to run from October 21, 2026, through March 31, 2027, after which Deepal will operate through a factory-backed distribution structure. Inchcape will retain Subaru and Foton in its Australian portfolio.
The change comes as Deepal prepares to expand its local range. The brand currently sells the S07 electric SUV and E07 Multitruck, while the smaller S05 SUV has yet to arrive despite earlier launch plans. Changan is expected to bring the S05 to market under its new distribution setup. Deepal has also confirmed plug-in hybrid versions of the S05 and S07 for Europe, which could also be relevant to Australia. Changan plans to introduce its Nevo and premium Avatr brands locally in 2027.
Inchcape says existing orders will be honoured and that sales, servicing, warranties, parts and customer assistance will continue through the transition. Deepal recorded 481 Australian deliveries in 2025, with the caveat that it only began appearing in industry sales reports in May. It delivered 924 vehicles through September 2026, behind Leapmotor and Xpeng. E07 sales and deliveries were paused in March 2026 over a compliance issue.