Changan unveils the Qiyuan E0 Crossover concept that turns into a pickup truck

There’s also a display between the headlights and a digital screen at the back.

Chinese state-owned automaker Changan unveiled a two-in-one electric vehicle at the Third Automotive Technology Ecosystem Summit in Chongqing that can transform from a closed crossover coupe into a type of pickup at the push of a button.

Internally codenamed CD701, the concept car was initially intended to be part of the company’s new Zhuge brand, according to Chinese car newsBut it seems the automaker has changed its mind because its unveiling happened under the name Qiyuan, another brand under the Changan umbrella.

To convert from an SUV to a minivan, the driver simply presses a button on the central touchscreen and the glass panel covering the trunk retracts under the roof, allowing taller and taller items to be transported, if the tailgate is left open.

Besides the obvious main talking point, the all-electric vehicle features a display screen located between the C-shaped headlights, which is used to display everything from the name of the E0 to the current battery charge status and remaining range. A second, similar screen is mounted at the back, within the red LED light strips that serve as taillights.

Changan says the zero-emission model can automatically search for charging stations while driving on the road, as well as work with autonomous charging robots to charge its batteries. The state-owned automaker claims that the CD701 will be the first vehicle ever to feature something called “vehicle satellite communications” technology, which can apparently connect it to the Internet anywhere in the world at any time without ever losing connection. In other words, it has a satellite connection.

Inside, the exotic electric car has a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a head-up display for the driver, an infotainment touchscreen in the middle, and a retractable infotainment screen for the front passenger, because apparently, that’s the biggest new thing in car interiors in 2023.

Measuring 196.8 inches (5,000 mm) long, 77.5 inches (1,970 mm) wide, and 64.1 inches (1,630 mm) high, the Changan two-in-one electric car is expected to go into production next year, but we’ll see if it will retain its glass panel. Retractable when it reaches customers in China.

This isn’t the first time an automaker has tried to make a car that transforms into a more utilitarian version of itself, with the Audi Activesphere concept being the latest electric car to come to mind.

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