2026 DEEPAL E07 Multitruck Review: Is China’s Cybertruck Dupe the Real Deal?

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that’s precisely what DEEPAL has done with the launch of its half-suv, half-ute E07 Multitruck.

DEEPAL is a Chinese car brand under the Changan Automobile umbrella. If you’re clued up to this stuff, then you’d know the E07 Multitruck is actually a Changan Nevo E07 in China, but has adopted a Western name for our region. I’m glad it’s not named after a sea creature or pet.

There’s no avoiding the fact that this is a Tesla Cybertruck copy, but that doesn’t make it any less formidable. By the numbers, it’s an impressive vehicle that produces up to 440 kW of power (0-100 km/h in 3.96 seconds), up to 550 km of range (RWD), and charges up to 240 kW DC. However, I needed to get behind the wheel to see how it stacks up and determine if it’s a halfway house or a complete segment breaker. So, that’s precisely what I’ve done!

Price and Specs

It’s sharply priced, as expected for a new Chinese brand.

The entry-level DEEPAL Multitruck RWD, with 252 kW of power (0–100 km/h in 6.7 seconds), is priced from AUD$64,900 before on-road costs.

You then step up to the more powerful DEEPAL Multitruck AWD model, which produces 440kW (0–100 km/h in 3.96 seconds) and is priced from AUD$73,900 before on-road costs. That power figure is a pretty big carrot, but besides the extra motor, there are no major differences between it and the entry-level model. If you don’t plan on using your Multitruck off-road, the RWD model’s range, price, and servicing costs make it the value-minded choice.

Colour-wise, the RWD gets Hematite Grey as a no-cost exclusive, while the AWD gets Jade Green and an optional Spessartite Orange/Matte Hematite Grey.

The DEEPAL Multitruck is covered by a seven-year / 160,000 km warranty, an eight-year / 240,000 km warranty for the high-voltage battery, and 12 months of complimentary roadside assistance as standard.

Servicing and maintenance schedules are priced as follows:

• E07 EV PLUS (RWD) – Total (7 yrs): $2,954.59
  • Year 1: $161.33
  • Year 2: $464.65
  • Year 3: $523.54
  • Year 4: $478.64
  • Year 5: $283.47
  • Year 6: $870.10
  • Year 7: $172.86
• E07 EV AWD Performance – Total (7 yrs): $3,143.90
  • Year 1: $161.33
  • Year 2: $464.65
  • Year 3: $640.10
  • Year 4: $478.64
  • Year 5: $239.68
  • Year 6: $986.65
  • Year 7: $172.86

Overall, the DEEPAL E07 Multitruck is reasonably good value for money, provided this is the type of vehicle that you’re after. It has no direct competitors, but it’s priced similarly to a Tesla Model Y, which remains the benchmark in the electric SUV segment.

Interior Design Highlights

If you’re allergic to buttons, then you’ll love the inside of the DEEPAL Multitruck.

Everything is controlled through the 15.4-inch rotating touchscreen (with ±15° “Sunflower tilt”). Thanks to the Qualcomm 8155 chip, it’s fast and snappy, and its resolution is quite good. However, I don’t advise using it while driving because of the complicated menu layout.

This isn’t a problem when you’re using the wireless CarPlay or Android Auto to change a song or navigate, which is what you do most of the time, but don’t even try to adjust the seats, steering wheel, interior ambient lighting, climate control, or anything else that requires you to jump through multiple menus to find.

You could always try using the voice commands (which also work outside the car), but you’ll end up frustrated when the car doesn’t respond to your requests.

It took me five minutes to find out how to open the rear canopy and use the lift-back canopy party-trick function. This process should be easy, but it involves swiping the truck on the screen until the back faces you, clicking open, confirming you want to open, and then it works. Hilariously, the “frunk” must be opened with a physical latch where a bonnet release would typically be on a petrol-powered car. It’s one of the only physical controls in the cabin, but why it’s not controlled through the screen is beyond me. The cabin is minimalist in design, sure, but what’s the point when you can’t find anything in the menu?

Of course, the technology is pretty impressive once you’re parked and you’ve figured out how to use it all. You’ll find the integrated dashcam and interior camera useful, as is Sentry Mode. The 18-speaker sound system sounds good, and the 50 W wireless, ventilated Qi charger in the front console is also very handy.

Next to the ute function, the modular interior is what I’d use the most. The best way to explain this is to say that when the headrests are removed, the front seats fold to the rear cushions to create a flat sleeping platform. This platform fits a queen-size mattress in a space that measures 1,800 mm × 1,367 mm.

Lastly, the “Zero-Gravity” front seats are very comfortable and come with 14-way power on each (8-way base + 4-way lumbar + 2-way leg rest), heating/ventilation/massage, memory (two driver profiles, three passenger). However, the “Nappa” leather-appointed upholstery does feel a little artificial, and there’s no overarching smell of leather, which is odd.

Exterior Design Highlights

I had half an hour to film a social video of the truck, and that time was mostly taken up by punters who couldn’t take their eyes off the Multitruck. Frankly, if you don’t like small talk, don’t buy one, because every man and his dog wants to know about the convertible rear end.

Before I get into that, I need to mention that this is a rather large vehicle, measuring 5,045 mm (L) × 1,996 mm (W) × 1,680 mm (H), with a wheelbase of 3,120 mm. That makes it larger than a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, which is not small.

The coupé-SUV flowline is unique, and not something I’ve seen since the Tesla Cybertruck was announced. It looks great, and generally, people are into the way it looks. Sure, it borrows most modern EV styling touches, including an illuminated taillight signature across the rear, a full-width slim LED light bar that integrates into quarter panels, and an active lower grille that reduces drag and manages battery temperatures. However, I think it looks pretty good.

Of course, the party trick is the electric glass dome.

This slides ~400 mm forward before the tailgate lowers, and you have a ute. From there, you can fold down the rear seats flat (or leave them up and seal the cabin), and you have a place to sleep when camping, or somewhere to shove a pram, boogie boards, etc., so long as they don’t eclipse the barely useful 300 kg rear ute area payload that the DEEPAL E07 has. It has a 610 kg overall payload, which is about average for a vehicle this size.

Before you ask, you can drive with the open window/tailgate. The ute space has a 3.5 kW/220 V outlet and is finished in durable plastic for easy cleaning.

Power, Battery, Range, and Charging

The DEEPAL E07 Multitruck features an 89.98 kWh, liquid-cooled NMC (ternary lithium) battery pack in both variants. 800 volt architecture is also standard, enabling ultra-fast DC charging at up to 240 kW DC (30–80 per cent in approx. 15 min). However, AC charging is slow at 7 kW, meaning 0–100 per cent in approximately 13 hours at home. V2L (vehicle-to-load) is marked at up to 6.6 kW using the 220-volt interior socket/adaptor.

The range is marked at 550 km (RWD) and 510 km (AWD). The RWD model’s power is 252 kW/365 Nm, offering acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds, and the AWD model outputs 440 kW / 645 Nm for a 0 to 100km/h time of 3.96 seconds.

Ride Comfort and Dynamics

The DEEPAL E07 Multitruck’s suspension is soft and cushy, thanks to the standard-fit air suspension (with self-levelling) and Continuous Damping Control (CDC). However, that’s a bit of a double-edged sword, as it means the vehicle is constantly moving beneath you on the road. The feeling is best described as sitting on a boat at a mooring, which is not great for those who get seasick.

Combined with vague EPAS rack-and-pinion steering, this not only gives the driver a disconcerting feel from the driver’s seat when driving the 2.4-tonne vehicle down the road, but it also caused some of my passengers to feel car sick on the test drive.

I’m not sure you would have an issue around town, driving back and forth from home to the office, but that’s not an excuse for executing the air suspension system, which needs further refinement.

Still, it does a good job masking the harshness that would otherwise come from large, 21-inch diamond-cut triple-spoke alloys, wrapped in Michelin EV tyres (265/45 R21 108W on 21×9J wheels). It also unlocks the potential for self-levelling off-road, e.g. when you’re on uneven ground at a campsite and plan on sleeping in the back of the car.

Drive modes (Eco / Comfort / Sport / Custom), suspension controls (Low/Med/High/Self-Adaptation), and Damping “Strength” (Comfort/Normal/Sport) are all there, but I never had a chance to explore them to any great length. Nor did I try out the Vehicle Stability Assist / Off-Road Assist modes on my test drive.

I treated this like a first-drive review, which means these are only my first impressions, and more testing should be done. However, next to the soft suspension, the power was immediately noticeable. When you push the accelerator in the AWD model that produces 440kW of power, you must have your wits about you. Despite being less powerful and slower, it’s scarier to launch than a Porsche Taycan Turbo GT — it gives you the impression it’s not designed to go this fast.

Verdict

I’m still trying to determine who the DEEPAL E07 Multitruck is for. It wants to be a segment breaker, but I’m still unsure what segment that is.

Those who want a rugged off-road ute should look elsewhere. Tradies should also look elsewhere despite the impressive power figure and creature comforts. Anyone who needs to carry anything in the rear compartment is also off the list because of the payload.

The handyman, or someone who regularly loads push-bikes into the back of their ute, might be entertained, but solutions to these problems already exist.

It’s hard to judge because there’s plenty of substance here, with a seriously impressive powertrain, and the convertible ute body style is unlike anything else on the road. However, it struggles to get the basics right because of poorly executed air suspension and ADAS systems.

There’s an impressive amount of technology, an excellent sound system, and comfortable seats, but the same can be said about most new Chinese EVs.

It feels like DEEPAL was close to achieving something special with the E07 Multitruck. Still, I fear they stumbled over themselves to pack too much “stuff” into the vehicle, drawing focus away from the basics: practicality and performance.