Denza shows electric Porsche 911 rival at Auto Shanghai 2025

Denza, BYD’s more premium-oriented brand, has unveiled a prototype of its latest model at Auto Shanghai: the Denza Z. It’s a two-door sports coupé with four seats and an all-electric drivetrain. It could compete with the Porsche 911, Maserati GranTurismo Folgore, and others for a much lower price than the BYD YangWang U9.

Denza was initially founded as a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes. Still, the Germans have withdrawn their commitment to the premium brand, leaving BYD alone to launch it in Europe with models like the Z9 GT shooting brake and the Z9 saloon.

Hypercar performance for a sports car price?

Now, Denza’s flagship model, the Z, is on the way. It’s a two-door sports car with an all-electric drivetrain, which is still a rarity in the EV world—especially if you don’t have a multimillion euro budget for models like the Rimac Nevera and the Lotus Evija.

The only real competitor for the Denza Z would be the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore, which costs over €200,000. However, some indications indicate that the Denza Z will be much cheaper without compromising performance. Essentially, the Tesla Roadster’s original mission, but with a more realistic production timeline.

Steer-by-wire and a more affordable active suspension

Although most specifications are still a secret, Denza has revealed that the Z will use AI-assisted steer-by-wire technology to maximize control over bumpy surfaces. The steering wheel itself can be folded for easier ingress and egress and for better safety in the case of an accident.

Another feature is the Disus M active dampers, which use more traditional magnetorheological fluid rather than the more expensive fully active suspension in the BYD YangWang U9, which also costs over €200,000.

Sub-2 second 0-100 km/h

No details have yet been given in terms of performance, but Denza did release a teaser image showing “1.? s,” likely referring to a sub-2 second 0-100 km/h acceleration time. BYD recently released a new generation of electric motors with the Han L and Tang L, with up to 580 kW (789 hp) per unit. A two-motor drivetrain with over 1,500 hp would enable this kind of hypercar performance.

It is possible that BYD will bring the Denza Z to Europe, after having just launched the Z9 GT on Western shores. When and for what price? That remains to be seen, but we’ll likely know more in the coming months, as Chinese car production moves fast.