- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr He Ar
Denza. The child of BYD and Mercedes-Benz
Shenzhen BYD New Energy Co., Ltd., a Chinese enterprise, produces luxury electric vehicles under the Denza brand. The company was founded by the automaker BYD and Daimler AG. However, in 2021, the German co-founder reduced its stake in the joint venture, making the ‘child’ of BYD and Mercedes-Benz a full-fledged subsidiary of BYD, occupying an intermediate position in the corporate hierarchy between the parent brand and premium Yangwang.
History
On March 1, 2010, BYD Auto and Daimler AG signed a memorandum to jointly develop electric vehicles, sharing ownership equally. The joint venture was named Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co., Ltd. The Denza trademark was registered in March 2012, and already in April, the first luxury concept car was unveiled at the Auto China Motor Show in Beijing. In 2013, the manufacturer built its own assembly plant with an annual capacity of 40,000 vehicles. The production Denza EV debuted in December 2014.
‘Denza’ roughly translates to ‘growing power’ or ‘wind power’
The 4.6 m Denza EV 5-door hatchback is based on the Mercedes-Benz B-Class platform. The electric powertrains were borrowed from the BYD e6 electric car: one or two motors with a capacity of 184 hp. The maximum speed reached 150 km/h. In 2014, the driving range was 352 km. In 2017, the driving range was extended to 400 km due to a more capacious battery. The model was quite expensive, 60,000-65,000 dollars. It was produced until 2019.
In December 2021, the German partner reduced its share to 10%, while BYD got 90%. At the time, the company was offering the Denza 500 (Denza X), based on the EV. The 7-seater SUV based on the second generation BYD Tang had two versions: electric and plug-in hybrid. The electric Denza 500 could offer a driving range of 500 km, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 5 seconds. But the vehicle was sold poorly, and therefore it was not produced for long: from 2019 to 2021.
Model range
Today, Denza offers a couple of SUVs and one minivan. In the future, the manufacturer is preparing five series of cars, designated by the letters D, E, N, Z and A. The letter N has already been assigned to SUVs.
Denza D9
The large luxury minivan was released in May 2022. It is offered in hybrid versions at a price of 49,000-66,000 dollars and electric versions at a price from 57,000 to 68,000 dollars. The vehicle was created with the participation of Mercedes-Benz. Overall dimensions: 5,250×1,960×1,920 mm. The wheelbase is 3,110 mm, the suspension is independent. The passenger compartment has 7 seats, with the second row offering 2 separate seats and a large trunk. The rich equipment includes an adaptive cruise control Denza Pilot. The powertrains of the minivan were borrowed from BYD models. There are front or all-wheel drive versions (one or two motors). The promised driving range exceeds 600 km.
Denza N7
The SUV will debut in 2023. The design is inspired by a new corporate style, so the car looks aggressive and sporty. Overall dimensions: 4,860×1,935×1,602 mm. The wheelbase is 2,940 mm. The powertrain consists of one or two BYD electric motors. The entry-level version comes with a single motor with 313 hp. More expensive versions come with an additional 218-horsepower motor, which increases the total power up to 531 hp. The capacity of the battery is not yet known.
Denza N8
The updated Denza X, which is expected to premiere in 2023. The large, 5 or 7-seater SUV will receive hybrid technology and an electric vehicle platform DM-p+e 3.0. The vehicle looks a little calmer than the N7, the interior is more spacious.
