Denza Z9 GT: BYD's Electric Flagship Tackles a 15,000 km Drive From Rome to Hong Kong
bydglobal.com
BYD sends its electric flagship on a 15,000 km, 43-day journey across two continents — a real-world test for the Z9 GT and its Flash Charging system.
BYD has chosen the road rather than the show floor to make its case for the Denza Z9 GT. The electric grand tourer has set off from Rome to Hong Kong along the Marco Polo Drive route: 43 days and more than 15,000 km between Europe and Asia.
The car was flagged off at Palazzo Orsini Taverna in Rome. Patrick Zhong from M31 Capital and Professor Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Center for Sustainable Development, are taking part in the project.
BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li said: “Marco Polo carried European culture across to Asia and brought back silk, tea and stories of the East, sparking interest in the region and strengthening ties between the two continents. Today Professor Sachs and Patrick can drive an electric car all the way from Europe to Asia”.
The Denza Z9 GT suits this kind of showcase better than any city EV. The fully electric version gets a 122.49 kWh Blade battery, a range of up to 1,036 km on the CLTC cycle and 599 km on WLTP. Three electric motors put out 1,140 hp, and the 0–100 km/h sprint takes 2.7 seconds. The Flash Charging system promises a 10–70% top-up in five minutes and 10–97% in nine.
In Europe the Z9 GT starts at around €115,000, or roughly $134,500. For that money BYD offers more than just power: a 17.3-inch central screen, two 13.2-inch displays, a 50-inch AR-HUD, and the DiLink infotainment system with Google integration and an AI companion.
The drive matters to BYD as a showcase ahead of expansion: by the end of 2026 the brand plans to sell Denza in 30 countries and roll out 3,000 Flash Chargers across Europe, plus another 300 in the UK.
If the Z9 GT can cover this route without drama, the debate around Chinese premium will stop being purely theoretical: a long road quickly shows where the real engineering lies and where it is just a polished presentation.
