Changan is playing the long game

If you still think every new Chinese car brand is the same as the next, there’s one that could quickly change your mind: Changan. 

Named after China’s ancient capital, Changan is a serious player – with a clear ambition to break into the world’s Top 10 automotive brands by 2030. It’s also one of China’s oldest carmakers, with more than 45 years in the game, and over 30 million sales under its belt.* 

But here’s where Changan says it’s different. While its roots are in China, its outlook is firmly global. The company operates in 118 countries, with 22 overseas manufacturing bases and around 24,000 R&D staff worldwide. Its global design network spans Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and Germany, powered by a team of nearly 1,000 designers from 31 countries. 

In other words, Changan doesn’t just load cars on ships and wave goodbye at the port. It builds cars that belong where they’re driven – shaped around how people actually live and drive. 

Helping to steer the mission is Klaus Zyciora, Vice President, Changan Automobile. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, his back catalogue almost certainly does, having spent several decades in the design department of one of Germany’s most recognised car brands. 

“We’re moving from scale to system: owning the technology, the service and the local identity,” he says. “We’re not chasing the market anymore. We’re becoming part of its fabric.” That thinking is wrapped in a strategy called ‘Vast Ocean 2.0’ – which, as the name suggests, goes deeper than the surface. 

“We’re thinking about the whole ecosystem,” he says. That means manufacturing, services, partnerships, trade and long-term investment — rather than raiding a market for short-term wins. But before we get into that, let’s start with how the cars actually look. 

Because, as Zyciora puts it, the rules of the game have changed. Underneath, most EVs are starting to look – and perform – very similarly. Lightening-fast 0–62mph times aren’t rare feats anymore; they’re increasingly just a strong battery and some clever coding. 

At the same time, product cycles have shrunk dramatically. What used to be a five-year advantage might now last one – accelerated by over-the-air updates. Chase specs alone, and you’re stuck on a never-ending treadmill. 

So the big question buyers ask has shifted. It’s no longer just what can this car do? It’s how does it make me feel? What does it say about who I am and my values? That’s why design has moved front and centre. 

“Cars are becoming what I call a ‘third space’”, says Zyciora, “something between a living room, a digital companion and a sanctuary. The lighting, the materials, the way surfaces catch the light, even the welcome animation when you unlock it – these aren’t just details anymore. They’re emotional cues.” 

And crucially, they’re universal. You might not instantly grasp a cryptically named platform architecture or software stack, but you feel design in a split second. The challenge, of course, is balancing that with local relevance – creating a design language that’s instantly recognisable worldwide, but still feels right whether you’re driving in Berlin, São Paulo or Chongqing. 

Changan is working to make sure that happens, with local engineering teams tuning cars for the roads, regulations and realities of each region. And it’s putting a serious support network in place too. 

Changan already has more than 200 European retail outlets. By 2030, it’s aiming for over 1,000. Alongside that comes investment in local parts supply, roadside assistance, finance and customer support. In other words, this doesn’t feel like a brand dropping in for a quick visit. It’s unpacking and moving in. 

So what does the product line-up actually look like? Firstly, there’s Changan – the master brand and mothership, but also a badge in itself. Cars such as the CS75 PLUS are all about reassurance and everyday reliability. 

Then there’s Changan Nevo, the calm, reassuring one — designed as a kind of home from home: clean surfaces, airy proportions, family-friendly and with technology that supports every drive rather than trying to dominate it. 

Changan Deepal takes a different approach – more energetic and expressive, blending advanced tech with a more dynamic edge. These are cars designed to stand out with distinctive design signatures and a stronger sense of identity. 

And then there’s AVATR, sitting in a different space altogether. This is the design-led, premium and more emotional end of the spectrum. Its ‘New Luxury’ approach is all about restraint – the sort of cars that don’t need to shout to stand out, relying instead on quality and confidence. 

Crucially, Changan’s global approach also recognises reality. Not every market is ready to go fully electric overnight – infrastructure, cost and use case still vary massively. So alongside EVs, hybrid technology plays an important role as a bridge, offering efficiency and electrification without asking buyers to completely change how they live with a car. 

The first arrivals - Changan Deepal S07 and S05 - combine advanced technology, strong performance in independent testing, and high safety standards, including five-star Euro NCAP ratings. Warranties are seven years or 100,000 miles for the car, eight years for the battery. 

The pitch, according to Zyciora, is simple: compete on product and experience, not just price. 

“What defines us today is a genuine transformation: we are now a technology-driven company building intelligent, low-carbon mobility for a global audience,” he says. “We’re moving away from being a Chinese company that sells cars overseas, and toward being a truly global company that just happens to be headquartered in China.” 

And with Vast Ocean 2.0, it isn’t just testing the water - it’s already well into the voyage.  

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