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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How Does ACOTY Define This Class?

Vehicles in contention need to sit as their respective manufacturer’s flagship, or fall in or above the 90th price percentile compared to the rest of the line-up for ACOTY 2024. This then qualifies them as luxury vehicles. They also need to be propelled solely by electricity. Pretty simple.

Meet The Contenders

The luxury vehicle segment has always been a hotbed of contests, with manufacturers pulling out all the stops they can to keep their well-heeled clientele bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

It then makes sense to take things to the next level by making these luxo-barges even quieter by ripping out their internal combustion engines and endowing them with batteries and electric drive. The push for electrification in this segment has become even more apparent in 2023.

And so, three luxury electric vehicles were reviewed this year. They are, clockwise from top-left, the Audi Q8 e-tron, Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ and BMW i7 xDrive60.

While the Merc and Bimmer comfortably qualify price percentile-wise at 96th and 92nd respectively, the Audi only comes in at the 80th price percentile. However, the Q8 is the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer’s flagship SUV EV, and that’s why it’s here.

While it may be an SUV, the Audi Q8 e-tron impressed us with its business-like looks, generous interior space and supple ride comfort. That Audi has engineered a large SUV to drive the way it does and be uber-practical is something to be proud of.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ is designed based on aerodynamic efficiency and its looks are the result. We liked how the right amount of technology is implemented within while being able to mood-light like a discotheque at night if one so chooses.

We appreciated the generous and supple interior that’s de facto in this segment. We also liked its ease and comfort of driving and the relatively large range the battery pack provides.

There’s nothing that looks like the Bimmer. We liked how, in darker shades, the BMW i7 xDrive 60 can achieve a murdered-out gangsta look from the word go. We appreciated the technology inside that would keep wealthy tech geeks happy for hours on end and is pretty easy to use.

We especially were impressed by how well the i7 drove and rode, and how much of a compelling proposition it has become to the upper crust of society.

Picking a winner, as you can comprehend, was a tough call for the four of us, for each entrant brings something meaningfully captivating to the table. Suffice to say, you can’t go wrong with any of them.

However, this is a competition, and when all’s said and done, there can only be one.

AutoApp Car Of The Year Best Luxury EV
BMW i7 xDrive 60

While the BMW i7 xDrive 60 is the most expensive of the trio, it also offers so much for the price. Despite its arguably polarizing looks, the Bavarian manufacturer must be applauded for daring to break with tradition and create something that snaps heads and looks like nothing else on the road. That’s why it clinches the top spot with 386 points.

More on the scoring categories used to derive points here.

Congratulations to the BMW i7 xDrive 60 for winning the AutoApp Car of the Year 2024 Best Luxury EV!

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV!