The BYD DENZA Z9 GT electric vehicle is on display in Hong Kong in February 2025.
ucg | Universal Image Group | Getty Images
BEIJING – Chinese electric car giant BYD has expanded into Europe and is launching the Premium Denza brand in the region despite rising trade tensions.
The first model, the Z9GT, is expected to arrive at European showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2025, BYD said Wednesday during Brera Design Week in Milan. The company did not specify the price or delivery date for station wagon type cars.
The European Z9GT comes in both a battery-only battery and a plug-in hybrid version, BYD said.
BYD already sells electric cars in Europe. The company initially founded the Denza brand in 2010 and founded Daimler, now the Mercedes-Benz Group. The sub-brand was revamped in 2021, selling cars in China, and the German automaker reduced its stock profits to 10%.
Last year, the European Union announced a 17% obligation on importing BYD battery electric vehicles against allegations of “unfair” production subsidies. Last month, Chinese and EU officials discussed issues related to the electric vehicle supply chain during a meeting in Beijing.
The second Denza model in Europe will be a seven-seat multi-purpose vehicle called the D9, BYD says without specifying a delivery date.
In a statement, Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD, said:
Surge in overseas sales
BYD has increased its overseas sales since the second half of 2022. In the first quarter of this year, the company said it sold more than 206,000 cars outside of China, more than double the same period last year, and about half of the cars sold overseas last year.
Automakers’ first quarter revenues rose at least 86% from a year ago, according to filings on Tuesday.
BYD noted “significant growth” in international sales as it achieved record-breaking new energy vehicle sales in the first quarter, with 986,098 passenger cars being sold. Chinese automakers no longer manufacture traditional fuel-powered passenger cars.
Most BYD cars target lower price segments than Tesla’s cars, with Chinese companies overtaking Elon Musk’s automakers in total sales last year.
Also, according to a delivery number issued by the Chinese Passenger Automobile Association, BYD sold more battery-only passenger cars in the first quarter, selling 416,388 units of sales.
