Denza, BYD's performance sub-brand, has used the Goodwood Festival of Speed to give UK audiences their first look at the Z, an all-electric supercar the company hopes will convince sports car buyers to go electric, with ex-F1 racer Jenson Button helping BYD boss Stella Li take the wraps off the new car.
Read our full preview of the new Denza Z here
Four versions have been confirmed from launch: Coupe, Spider, a track-focused model badged Racing, and a Special Edition aimed at chasing lap records at the Nürburgring's Nordschleife circuit later this year. UK deliveries are expected towards the end of 2026, arriving shortly after Denza's Z9GT saloon.
The Z’s performance figures are, frankly, nuts. It generates a combined 1,582hp and 1,240Nm of torque from a triple-motor layout, with 0–62mph achievable in as little as 1.96 seconds when fitted with optional semi-slick tyres. The Special Edition is expected to push total output close to 2,000hp, with a sub-1.7-second 0–62mph time.
The car's standout feature, though, is its charging technology. A 76kWh LFP Blade battery, built directly into the chassis rather than housed in a separate pack, comes with BYD’s new Flash charging system, capable of delivering up to 1,500kW through a standard CCS connector.
Denza says this allows a 10–70% top-up in five minutes and 10–97% in under 10 minutes. BYD is aiming to roll out roughly 300 Flash charging stations across the UK, and 3,000 across Europe, by the end of 2026. (And we went to see the first ones in action in London...) WLTP range sits between 236 and 255 miles depending on version.
The Z’s styling is the work of BYD’s in-house designer Wolfgang Egger, who previously carved a career designing supercars at Lamborghini, Audi and Alfa Romeo. So he knows what he’s doing. The cabin is built around leather, carbon fibre, suede-effect fabric and metal trim, plus tech including a 12.8-inch infotainment screen with Google built-in and a Devialet sound system.
Chassis technology includes magnetorheological "DiSus-M" adaptive dampers and a three-motor torque control system that enables a tight Compass Turn manoeuvre.
Practicality is, unsurprisingly, limited — the Z is effectively a 2+2 rather than a true four-seater, and boot space ranges from 131 litres in the Spider up to 550 litres in the Coupe and Racing with the rear seats folded.
UK pricing has yet to be confirmed, but order books are expected to open this summer, with early estimates suggesting the entry-level Coupe could start from around £120,000.
Check out Nicki's closer look at the new car below.
