BYD Launches Rival to Tesla’s Model Y

BYD, a Chinese electric car giant that sold over 128,196 battery-powered passenger cars in June, is introducing an electric vehicle that will rival Tesla’s Model Y.

According to the company, its Denza brand, in which the Mercedes-Benz Group holds a 10% stake, has received over 20,000 preorders for its N7. The all-electric SUV has a price range of $41,680 to $52,452, competitive with Tesla’s Model Y, which sells for between $36,397 to $50,189 in China.

The company expects Denza N7 deliveries to start in approximately two weeks.

During an hour-plus launch event, BYD showed clips of local car media’s positive reviews while doing test drives. The online launch highlighted Denza N7 features, which include:

• Fast battery charging
• In-house driving-assist technology
• In-car entertainment
• Data privacy features, such as independent chip storage and the ability to turn off cameras

The Denza N7 also reportedly comes with an augmented reality head-up display, which uses augmented-reality technology to project information digitally over the road in front of the driver. Some models have BYD's new shock absorption technology for smoother rides.

Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today