BYD's New Denza N8 EV Starts Around $40,500 and Claims 1,003 km of CLTC Range

BYD launched the Denza N8 EV in China, a five-seat luxury SUV that promises more than 1,000 kilometers, or 621 miles, of CLTC range, a tech-filled cabin, and a starting price of about $40,500, Electrek reported.

After opening preorders a few weeks ago, BYD held the grand launch on Thursday. The N8 is available in six variants, including four battery-electric and two plug-in hybrid powertrains. The all-electric Denza N8 starts at 269,900 yuan, or about $40,500, with prices ranging up to 329,900 yuan, or $49,500, for the Flagship model. Plug-in hybrid models start at 300,900 yuan, Electrek reported. (CLTC range figures are typically higher than EPA estimates and are not directly comparable.)

The SUV measures 5,150 millimeters long, 1,999 millimeters wide, and 1,820 millimeters high, with a 3,075-millimeter wheelbase, making it slightly longer than the Kia EV9 and Hyundai IONIQ 9. Inside is a 30-inch panoramic infotainment screen that stretches nearly the entire passenger-side dashboard, plus a 43-inch, 1.1-meter panoramic head-up display at the bottom of the windshield. BYD added front and rear zero-gravity seats, a drop-down ceiling entertainment screen, ambient lighting, and wireless phone chargers.

A tri-motor flagship, and a five-minute charge claim

The Denza N8 is offered with a single rear-wheel-drive motor or a tri-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain. The rear-wheel-drive variant uses a single motor that delivers either 320 kilowatts (429 horsepower) or 370 kilowatts (496 horsepower), depending on the configuration. The tri-motor version debuts BYD's e3 Evo technology, with a 270-kilowatt front motor and two 310-kilowatt rear motors, for a combined 890 kilowatts, or 1,193 horsepower, Electrek reported.

Denza said the N8 EV boasts an all-electric CLTC range of 1,003 kilometers, or 623 miles, "making it the world's longest-range mass-produced all-electric SUV." It is available with two second-generation BYD Blade battery packs: 105.792 kilowatt-hours and 130.15 kilowatt-hours, delivering CLTC ranges of up to 885 kilometers (549 miles) and 1,003 kilometers (623 miles). With second-generation Blade batteries and Flash Charging, BYD said the N8 EV can charge from 10 percent to 70 percent in five minutes, and from 10 percent to 97 percent in nine minutes.

The SUV also gets BYD's DiSus-A intelligent air suspension and God's Eye 5.0 driver-assistance system. BYD already sells the extended Denza N8L in China, which went on sale earlier this year starting at 299,800 yuan, or about $45,000, Electrek reported. For Tesla and other incumbents, the message from the China launch is familiar: a large luxury EV with a long official range, fast charging claims, and a price that starts far below most Western rivals.