China: Denza launches production of the N7 electric SUV

Denza, BYD’s Chinese joint venture with Mercedes-Benz, has kicked off production of its new all-electric N7 model. It is the second vehicle launch after the joint venture was restructured. Deliveries of the mid-size SUV are scheduled to start in July.

This is reported by the portal CN EV Post, citing a social media post by Zhao Changjiang, General Manager of Denza’s sales department. About two weeks ago, Zhao announced that the company had received more than 20,000 pre-orders for the Denza N7 – even though specifications and prices have yet to be announced.

Little is known about the EV. And the information available does not come from Denza itself, but from the registration application for the N7 at the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). According to the application, four versions of the SUV are planned – two with a single and two with a twin engine. The former has an output of 230 kW. The additional engine in the latter version has an output of 160 kW. The EV will be fitted with LFP batteries from BYD.

The registration application in March also revealed that the SUV measures 4.86 x 1.94 x 1.60 metres, with a wheelbase of 2.94 metres. The top speed is supposed to be 180 km/h. According to a report in the German Handelsblatt, the price for the N7 is likely to be “the equivalent of at least €50,000”.

The N7 is the second model after the change in ownership structure within the joint venture founded in 2011. Since Denza’s EVs had long fallen short of expectations, Mercedes reduced its share from 50 to ten per cent. The Chinese imposed a complete reboot on the brand – structurally and in terms of products. Since October 2022, the only Denza model currently delivered is the D9 van – either as a pure EV or a plug-in hybrid.

cnevpost.com, handelsblatt.com (in German)