BYD has firmly planted its flag in the luxury EV market with the launch of its luxury marque, Denza, in Singapore.
The launch, which took place on October 10 at the Shangri-La hotel, marks Denza’s debut into the right-hand drive market beyond Hong Kong, where it first appeared in July. It is also a calculated first step as BYD eyes major Asia-Pacific markets.
Liu Xueliang, general manager of Asia-Pacific sales for BYD Auto, said “For each market, we will bring new technology and new models based on local demands,” revealing that Denza would hit other key markets in the near future.
These include Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand. Although no exact launch dates were offered, it’s clear BYD is serious about it.
To back up their ambitions, BYD has already set up an assembly plant in Thailand, with more facilities planned in Indonesia and elsewhere. It’s a strategic move to ensure that Denza is embedded in the region’s automotive fabric.
“We eventually want to offer a wide range of models to consumers covering ‘360 degrees’ of the market,” Liu added, underscoring the company’s goal to tailor their offerings for local markets.
And it’s not just Denza. Liu also mentioned that BYD is “seriously considering” bringing its other luxury brands, Fangchengbao and Yangwang, to Singapore and the region.
In Singapore, BYD is keeping things close to the chest, opting to self-distribute Denza rather than rely on third parties. To do this, they’ve brought in partners: Vantage Automotive and Harmony Auto, both established BYD dealers.
These dealers will be opening stand-alone showrooms for the luxury marque. Vantage’s showroom on Alexandra Road opened its doors on the same day as the launch, while Harmony Auto’s will follow suit on October 21 at Ubi Close.
Denza’s debut model, the D9 multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), comes in two variants: the D9 Elite priced at S$296,888 and the D9 Grandeur at S$341,888, both inclusive of COE.
Denza is clearly aiming for the luxury market, but they’re sweetening the deal with a battery warranty of 10 years or 200,000 km, significantly above the industry standard of eight years or 160,000 km.
And it seems the market is responding: a BYD representative confirmed that 300 orders have already been placed, split evenly between the two dealerships.
The Denza Z9 GT sedan is set to follow the D9, with a planned Singapore launch in mid-2024, further expanding the brand’s footprint in the luxury EV market.
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