BYD Launches Premium Denza Brand in Europe Despite Trade Tensions

BYD, a Chinese electric vehicle giant, is expanding its presence in Europe by launching its premium Denza brand. The first model, the Z9GT, will arrive in European showrooms in Q4 2025, while the second model, the D9, is a seven-seat multi-purpose vehicle. BYD has seen a surge in overseas sales, with Q1 revenue growing by at least 86% YoY to $1.2 billion. The company has surpassed Tesla in total sales and sold more battery-only passenger cars in Q1 than Tesla in China during the same period.

Beijing-based electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD is pushing ahead with its European expansion by introducing its premium Denza brand. The company announced during Brera Design Week in Milan that the first Denza model, the Z9GT, will arrive in European showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2025. The Z9GT will be available in both battery-only and plug-in hybrid versions.

The Denza brand, initially formed in 2010 with Daimler, now the Mercedes-Benz Group, is being revamped to cater to European markets. The first Denza model for Europe, the Z9GT, is a station wagon-type car, while the second model, the D9, will be a seven-seat multi-purpose vehicle. BYD did not specify prices or delivery dates for these models.

BYD has seen a significant surge in overseas sales, with the company reporting more than 206,000 cars sold outside China in the first quarter of 2025, more than double the sales from the same period last year. This represents roughly half of the total number of cars sold overseas in 2024. The company's first-quarter revenue grew by at least 86% year-on-year to 8.5 billion yuan ($1.2 billion).

The Chinese automaker has overtaken Tesla in total sales, a significant milestone for BYD. It also sold more battery-only passenger cars in the first quarter than Tesla sold in China during the same period, with 416,388 units compared to Tesla's 172,754 vehicles.

BYD's entry into Switzerland is part of its broader European expansion strategy. The company has officially entered the Swiss passenger car market, with the first models including the all-electric sedan Seal, the electric SUV Sealion 07 EV, and the hybrid SUV Song Plus DM-i. BYD plans to have 15 sales points in Switzerland by the end of 2025.

The European Union has imposed 17% duties on imports of BYD battery electric vehicles due to claims of "unfair" production subsidies. However, BYD continues to expand its presence in Europe, indicating a strong commitment to the region despite these trade tensions.

BYD's vertically integrated production model and technological leadership position it well to challenge Tesla's dominance in the global EV market. The company aims to become the global leader in BEV sales for the first time in 2025, according to industry analysts.