BYD, now firmly established as the world’s biggest EV maker, has over the last month been seen testing multiple new electric cars in China, featuring the company’s latest tech, including those models with potential of charging speeds of 1,000 kW.
Now, another new model car has been sighted in regulatory approval documents run by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), featuring a whopping EV range of over 1,000 km.
BYD’s premium brand Denza’s upcoming Z9 model will come with two new batteries, using BYD’s lithium iron phosphate (LFP) blade batteries with capacities of 102 kWh and 122 kWh.
These will deliver ranges of up to 1,068 km on the CLTC cycle with the bigger battery.
That’s likely to be closer to 800 km on the WLTP cycle, commonly used in our market.
The top-spec Z9 GT reduces that range slightly to 1,002 km on the CLTC cycle due to the additional motor within the tri-motor tourer.
Information in the regulatory framework shows that the model will be available in both single and tri-motor versions.
The single motor version will come with a 370 kW rear-wheel drive configuration, while the tri motor version will have a combined power output of 850 kW.
On styling front, the Z9 has seen a few upgrades but still offers the sleek touring wagon look.
New wheels and integrated roof lidar help reduce cabin noise as well as a bigger focus on God’s Eye smart driving indicators.
Having driven the current generation Z9 GT on a closed circuit in Shenzhen last year, I found the car geared more towards comfort and long distance driving than what you’d expect from high end performance sports cars.
That’s what the upcoming Denza Z two door sports car would offer, having seen reports of it being tested at the iconic race track in Germany in 2025.
Within the last year, BYD has launched multiple innovations including 1,000 kW charging on some models, God’s Eye ADAS system and now battery tech enabling over 1,000 km.
With this level of innovation starting to come to scale, BYD is looking to take these technologies into global markets, sooner than ever.
This will provide the company an edge over legacy car makers and help more ICE car drivers make the switch sooner, now especially those with perceived range anxiety.
