On April 7, 2025, Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD launched its premium automotive brand, Denza, in the European market to support its expansion plans and compete with leading German luxury automakers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Established in May 2010, Denza was initially a joint venture between BYD and the parent company of Mercedes-Benz. In late 2021, Denza underwent a restructuring when Mercedes-Benz reduced its stake to 10%, with the remaining majority held by BYD.
In 2024, BYD sold over 4.2 million vehicles globally, with more than 90% of those sales occurring in China. Denza’s sales contributed to just over 3% of the group’s total sales.
Alfredo Altavilla, BYD’s special advisor for Europe, stated that Denza will be the technology pioneer for the entire group. “Denza will be the first to introduce new technological features, which will then be applied to BYD-branded models,” he said after the launch event at Milan Design Week, which was attended by Executive Vice President Stella Li.
As of 2024, BYD held a 2.8% market share of electric vehicles in Europe, having introduced hybrid models to expand its reach. Denza will start selling cars in Europe by the end of this year with the all-electric version of the Z9 GT sports car, boasting 1,000 horsepower. This will be followed by the hybrid version of the Denza Z9 GT in early 2026.
BYD has not yet disclosed details about Denza’s commercial strategy and product plans for the European market. However, it is known that the price of the first Denza model sold in Europe will be higher than BYD’s current most expensive offering, exceeding 72,000 Euros (approximately 78,790 USD).
According to Altavilla, Denza’s product lineup in Europe will also include the premium MPV model D9, expected to launch by the end of this year. Additionally, two off-road vehicles may be introduced in the future.
“Our goal is to transform Denza into a comprehensive premium brand,” he said, adding that they aim to attract both traditional luxury segment customers and tech-savvy young people.
Denza vehicles will be produced in China and exported to Europe, although BYD plans to start assembling cars at its first European factory in October this year. BYD’s first European plant is located in Hungary, with a second facility in Turkey expected to become operational in March 2026. When both factories are fully operational, their combined annual capacity will reach 500,000 vehicles.
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