The Denza N7 is a Model Y competitor with a price range that overlaps considerably with the Tesla model.
(Image credit: Denza)
BYD's premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brand Denza has begun deliveries of its second model, after launching it earlier this month.
The Denza N7, Denza's first SUV released after a shareholding restructuring and its second model after the Denza D9 MPV, was delivered to its first owners in Shenzhen on July 29, according to a Weibo post by Zhao Changjiang, general manager of Denza's sales division.
Volume deliveries of the model in more Chinese cities, including Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shanghai, Jinhua, Hangzhou, Hefei and Wuhan, are also about to begin, Zhao said on July 29.
Here's a video Denza shared on Weibo about the first delivery of the Denza N7.
The first delivery of the Denza N7 has been slightly delayed from Denza's original plan, as the company said in a July 3 launch that deliveries of the model were expected in mid-July.
Denza is a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz, with each holding a 50 percent stake in the company at its inception. BYD increased its stake in Denza to 90 percent last year.
The Denza N7 is a five-seat mid-size SUV with length, width and height of 4,860 mm, 1,935 mm and 1,602 mm respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,940 mm.
With a starting price of RMB 301,800 ($42,210), the model is aimed at the market where the Tesla Model Y is located.
The Tesla Model Y is slightly smaller, with length, width and height of 4,750 mm, 1,921 mm and 1,624 mm respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,890 mm.
The Model Y is currently available in three versions in China, with starting prices of RMB 263,900, RMB 313,900 and RMB 363,900 respectively.
Denza's website currently shows six versions of the N7, with starting prices of RMB 301,800, RMB 319,800, RMB 321,800, RMB 339,800, RMB 349,800, and RMB 379,800.
On July 4, Zhao said on Weibo that the Denza N7 received firm orders for 11,687 units 24 hours after its official launch.
In early June, Zhao mentioned that the Denza N7 had more than 20,000 pre-orders before specifications and pricing were announced and that 55 percent of those order holders were owners of luxury brands including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi, while 35 percent were existing BYD and Denza owners.
($1 = RMB 7.1494)
