Chinese manufacturers are unfortunately often recognized for plagiarizing Western products, but it is more and more common for us to discover brilliant ideas related to automobiles. This is the case of CD701a utility vehicle that transforms from SUV to pickup truck at the touch of a button.
The idea of Changan, the manufacturer of the CD701, does not seem new to the extent that we have known this approach for several years, notably with the 1964 Studebaker Wagonaire, the 2004 GMC Envoy XUV or to a certain extent the “Midgate” of the 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche. However, in the case of CD701, the application is much more successful. In profile, we discover the silhouette of a van with a higher body line; think of the Honda Ridgeline of 1D generation, but with the body closed by a large bezel. By retracting the panel that covers the box on the roof, the box is completely freed so that the SUV becomes a pickup truck.
Without a common wall, the passenger compartment remains completely open to the elements. It will therefore be preferable to use it only in good weather. The interior remains innovative in that it has 5 seats with good headroom. For added functionality, it is possible to fold the front seats completely and extend from the rear bench. The idea is particularly interesting for people who have to transport long or bulky objects.
It remains to be seen whether this configuration will reach production since it is still a concept. The production electric pickup truck derived from the Changan CD701 is expected to be introduced by the end of the year in the automaker’s Qiyuan division and carry the designation E0. Obviously, no chance of seeing this model on Canadian roads.
