BYD's Denza Eyes 80-100 Sales in Two Months, Plans Six-City Retail Expansion

BYD's luxury electric vehicle brand Denza expects to convert an initial pipeline of around 80-100 vehicle reservations into sales over the next two months as it prepares to open exclusive showrooms across six Indian cities following the launch of its D9 and Z9 GT models on Friday.

The Chinese automaker has introduced the seven-seater D9 electric luxury MPV at Rs 90 lakh and the Z9 GT performance electric car at approximately Rs 1.57 crore (ex-showroom). Both models will be imported into India as completely built units (CBUs).

Speaking at a media roundtable on the sidelines of the launch, BYD India management said early customer interest had been encouraging, although it was too soon to provide a firm sales target.

"For the next couple of months, we should be doing 80-100 odd cars," Rajeev Chauhan, Senior Vice President, EPV Business, BYD India**, said**, adding that the estimate was based on initial reservations and feedback from dealer partners.

The company clarified that these were prospective orders rather than confirmed deliveries. Management said pricing and customer preferences would influence how many reservations eventually translate into sales.

Denza expects a waiting period of approximately three to four months for orders requiring specific exterior colours and interior combinations. However, the company has already imported some vehicles to support early deliveries.

Rajeev Chauhan, identified as Vice President of BYD India's electric passenger vehicle business, said the company expected to reduce delivery timelines as orders and customer preferences became clearer.

To support the launch, Denza will establish exclusive retail outlets in Gurugram, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Ahmedabad. The showrooms will operate separately from BYD's existing passenger vehicle network, with dedicated sales and service facilities.

According to management, the first outlets will begin operations shortly, with the six-city rollout expected to be completed over the next 30-45 days. Existing BYD dealer partners will support the expansion.

The launch places Denza in India's small but growing luxury vehicle market. The D9 will compete with premium MPVs such as the electric MG M9, Toyota Vellfire, Mercedes-Benz V-Class and Lexus LM. The Z9 GT, meanwhile, has no direct rival in India but will compete for buyers considering high-performance luxury EVs such as the BMW i5 M60.

BYD management said it expects the D9 to generate higher volumes, while the Z9 GT will help establish Denza's positioning in the performance luxury segment.

The luxury brand's entry comes as BYD's existing India passenger vehicle business continues to expand. According to VAHAN registration data compiled by Flash Finance, BYD recorded 6,379 passenger vehicle registrations during January-October 2026, an increase of approximately 35% over the corresponding period last year. The company has crossed 20,000 cumulative vehicle sales in India since entering the passenger vehicle market and currently operates approximately 50 BYD showrooms.

With Denza, the company is now looking to expand beyond its existing electric passenger vehicle portfolio into higher-priced luxury categories. However, management said it would assess the response to the two models before committing to additional products, import volumes or local manufacturing investments.