Deepal G318 launches with Huawei smart tech from 196,800 yuan

On August 21, the first day of the Chengdu Auto Show, Deepal placed the new G318 at the center of its stand. The range-extender boxy vehicle, which is more than 5 meters long and over 2 meters wide, officially went on sale, with all three versions featuring four-wheel drive and limited-time prices ranging from 196,800 yuan to 236,800 yuan. The most important changes are inside the vehicle and above its roof: the 216,800-yuan version is the first to feature Huawei Qiankun ADS 5 Pro and the HarmonySpace 5 HarmonyOS cockpit, while the top-end version also adds air suspension and other equipment.

For a large vehicle entering the city, the challenge is often not crossing an unpaved stretch of road, but driving through narrow lanes in an old neighborhood, passing cars on roads lined with parked vehicles, or squeezing into parking spaces designed for ordinary family cars. Based on the WEWA 2.0 architecture, ADS 5 Pro uses 27 perception hardware components throughout the vehicle. Its Limera lidar-vision system uses a dual-mode optical architecture that can acquire 3D point clouds and 2D images simultaneously. Deepal says that in low-light conditions, it can detect small objects 30 centimeters high at distances of up to 116 meters, a 43% improvement over what it describes as high-spec industry solutions.

The system also provides NCA, or Navigation Cruise Assist, for urban roads, handling unprotected left turns, passing vehicles on narrow roads, traffic-light recognition and assisted lane changes. When an intersection is too narrow, its intelligent three-point-turn function can assess the remaining space, automatically reverse and maneuver before completing the turn. The parking-assistance system supports perpendicular spaces 40 centimeters wider than the vehicle, parallel spaces 70 centimeters longer than the vehicle, remote parking after the driver has exited, remote-controlled parking and path-tracking reverse. On highways, NCA supports entering and exiting ramps, overtaking through lane changes, speed control on curves and intelligent obstacle avoidance. Data released by Huawei Qiankun says that highway assisted driving requires safety-related human intervention once every 1,500 kilometers on average; this is manufacturer-published data and is not equivalent to the findings of independent road testing.

HarmonySpace 5 brings navigation, vehicle controls, multimedia and information services into voice interaction. It supports mixed speech in 10 dialects, including Sichuanese and Cantonese, and can distinguish occupants in different parts of the cabin through voiceprint recognition. Mobile apps and navigation tasks can continue on the vehicle's infotainment system through Super Desktop and seamless transfer. A navigation Agent can also plan destinations and routes based on relatively vague travel requests. For a midsize-to-large SUV officially defined as being for “90% urban commuting and 10% short outdoor trips,” these functions address the driving burdens encountered every day rather than off-road situations that arise only on weekends.

Specifically, buyers of the 216,800-yuan version get a range-extender all-wheel-drive SUV that can still handle long-distance travel and unpaved roads, while adding urban assisted driving, parking in narrow spaces and more comprehensive in-car interaction. The new vehicle continues to use a 1.5T range-extender system and front and rear dual motors, with a maximum system output of 450Ps, peak torque of 552N·m and a 0-to-100km/h acceleration time in the 5-second range. Its 35.07kWh lithium iron phosphate battery provides a 200km CLTC pure-electric range, and charging from 30% to 80% takes as little as 15 minutes. Combined range with a full tank and full charge exceeds 1,000km. The top-end version's air suspension, CDC variable-damping shock absorbers and Magic Carpet function retain a maximum ground clearance of 240mm and a wading depth of 600mm, while converting some of its rugged capability into greater comfort on paved urban roads.