Changan Thailand manufacturing plant started production in Rayong city with a planned annual capacity of 200,000 cars. This facility will assemble Changan, Deepal, and Avatr vehicles for Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. It will bring Changan’s presence in the region to a new level.

Changan started the construction of the Thailand plant in Rayong in late 2023. This facility includes painting, engine assembly, and battery assembly lines. The construction of the factory was finished this year and began operating on May 15. The current production capacity of this plant is 100,000 units yearly. Changan plans to ramp up the capacity to 200,000 units in 2027. These are RHD models for Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Changan Thailand plant begins operating

At the production launch ceremony, Changan representatives shared that this factory will become a foundation for the company’s overseas development. This project sets standards for Changan’s global development, including building an overseas manufacturing system, a global R&D process, and an exporting supply chain model.

To date, Changan Automobile has sold 14,000 vehicles in the Thai market. It is worth noting that the company didn’t meet its 2024 sales goal of 15,000 – 18,000 units, mainly due to local economic factors. Currently, Changan Automobile sells only new energy vehicles (BEV, PHEV, and EREV) in Thailand. They are Changan Lumin, Deepal S05, Deepal E07, Deepal L07, Deepal S07, and Avatr 11. In the next three years, the Chinese automaker will launch 12 more new energy cars.

First car at the Thailand plant

Back to the manufacturing plant, the first car to roll off the production line was the Deepal S05 right-hand-drive crossover. It is a compact SUV with dimensions of 4620/1900/1600 mm with a wheelbase of 2,880 mm. It is 29 mm shorter than the Skoda Enyaq. Inside, the S05 has five seats and a 492-liter trunk. The electric variant of this crossover boasts a 159-liter frunk.

The Deepal S05 EV has a 175 kW (235 hp) in the rear axle. The S05 speeds up to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. Thanks to a 56.12 kWh LFP battery, its electric NEDC range is 470 km. The EREV variant of this urban SUV has a 160 kW (215 hp) e-motor powered by a 27.28 kWh LFP battery for 170 km of electric range under NED conditions. The 1.5-liter naturally aspirated generator helps to boost the S05’s range to 1,000 km in EREV mode.