The journey began with a lean, focused team in Birmingham, UK, consisting of roughly 100 engineers tasked with adapting vehicles for diverse markets. This team exercised “China speed” development practices, exemplified by redesigning and recalibrating suspension in just three months to suit European road conditions. Their efforts went far beyond basic engineering, including advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) calibration to create safer, less intrusive technology tailored for European roads.
Changan also tapped international design resources, with models styled at their Italian design studio in Turin to meet today’s sophisticated consumer tastes.
The company’s market launch strategy involved releasing multiple models simultaneously, starting with the Deepal S07 and followed closely by the S05, presenting a versatile EV lineup designed to compete against legacy and emerging brands. Their electric cars emphasize long ranges, smart features, and hybrid options aligned with evolving customer expectations.
Changan’s ability to compress the start-to-market timeline to just 18 months is built on:
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Agile R&D process accelerating development, testing, and refinement
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Cross-border collaboration ensuring models meet local customer needs
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Focus on modular platforms and shared components for production speed
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Leveraging partnerships with battery specialists like CATL for cutting-edge tech
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Dedicated European engineering and training centers to streamline rollout
This fast-paced approach challenges traditional automotive development cycles, pushing not just speed but quality and safety to the forefront. As Changan expands aggressively in Europe and beyond, the company is proving that nimble, innovation-driven strategies can achieve world-class launches within compressed timelines—heralding a new chapter in global car manufacturing.