The official sales and delivery date of the Z9GT is September. Due to its strong performance and lower than expected price, Denza has high hopes for its sales.

Denza, the premium alternative fuel vehicle (NEV) brand of BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY), has started pre-sales of its Z9GT hatchback, hoping to boost sales with lower-than-expected prices and strong performance.

Denza started pre-sales of the Z9GT today at a launch event. The pre-sale price is between 339,800 RMB ($47,620) and 419,800 RMB, well below the previously rumored price of around 500,000 RMB.

The car is based on BYD’s e³ The technology was used for the first time. The car has an output of almost 1,000 horsepower and can accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in less than four seconds.

Denza said the Z9GT will be officially unveiled and shipped in September.

In addition, the regular sedan version of the model, the Z9, was briefly unveiled at today’s launch and pre-sales started at the same prices. Sales and deliveries of the Z9 will begin in the fourth quarter.

The Z9GT is the first model in Denza’s Z series, which will consist of sedans, with GT standing for Grand Tourer.

The models currently delivered by Denza include the MPV (Multipurpose Vehicle) D9 and the SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) N7 and N8.

The biggest selling point of the Z9GT is BYD’s e³ Technology based on the Xuanji architecture, which enables independent propulsion with three motors and independent steering with two motors on the rear wheels.

The e³ can be seen as a scaled-down version of BYD’s e⁴ technology for ultra-luxury cars, although it still offers great performance and features.

BYD unveiled the e⁴ technology on January 5, 2023 at the launch of its ultra-luxury brand Yangwang, a powertrain based on an independent four-motor drive with more than 1,000 horsepower.

The two models of the Yangwang brand, the off-road SUV U8 and the electric supercar U9, are both based on E⁴ technology and each cost more than 1 million RMB.

The e³ The technology is compatible with plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and battery electric vehicle (BEV) platforms and uses BYD’s latest DM 5.0 hybrid technology and e-Platform 3.0 Evo electric technology.

PHEVs based on the e³ According to Denza, this technology enables a sprint from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 3.6 seconds, or 3.4 seconds for BEVs.

This technology allows the vehicle to adjust engine torque distribution in real time based on power requirements and tire grip, improving safety and stability.

As the first car based on E³ The Denza Z9GT is a D-segment car with a length, width and height of 5,180 mm, 1,990 mm, 1,500/1,480 mm and a wheelbase of 3,125 mm.

Denza is offering the Z9GT for pre-sale in three PHEV variants and two BEV variants, all with all-wheel drive, with a combined range of 1,100 kilometers for the former and 630 kilometers for the latter.

The 3 PHEV variants are available at a pre-sale price of RMB 339,800, RMB 369,800 and RMB 419,800 respectively, while the 2 BEV variants are available at a pre-sale price of RMB 359,800 and RMB 389,800 respectively.

The aggressive pre-sale pricing of the Z9GT means that Denza is banking on this model to boost its sales.

Denza is a joint venture founded in 2010 by BYD and Daimler, in which each held a 50 percent stake. In February 2022, the Daimler brand was renamed Mercedes. BYD increased its stake in Denza to 90 percent in 2022.

The D9 MPV is the first model of the renamed Denza and contributes significantly to the sales of the Denza.

In the period January to July this year, Denza sold 69,905 vehicles, 2.96 percent more than the previous year, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.

The D9 sold 62,161 units during this period, contributing 89 percent to Denza’s sales, while the N7 and N8 together contributed only 11 percent.

(1 USD = 7.1354 RMB)

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