The Daimler-BYD joint venture launched its all electric Denza vehicle at the Bejing show.
Daimler claimed the new car combined its “renowned tradition and engineering expertise as a worldwide leader in safety technology and quality excellence with BYD’s leading battery technology”.
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It’s the first complete vehicle Daimler has developed together with BYD outside of Germany and described as a key pillar of the automaker’s electric vehicle strategy for China.
It goes on sale next September 2014, priced from RMB369,000 (US$60,000) though central and local government subsidies should knock almost RMB120,000 ($19,400) off the sticker.
Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology (BDNT), which developed the car, is a 50/50 R&D technology joint venture established by Daimler and BYD back in 2010 – the first Sino-German joint venture dedicated to an all-electric vehicle in China.
“Daimler is constantly moving forward with emission-free mobility; and with our Denza we are also on the right track in China, which is destined to become the world’s most important market for electric vehicles“, said Daimler China chief Hubertus Troska.
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By GlobalDataThe car has a lithium iron phosphate battery framed by a lightweight aluminium case with extrusion profiles. The battery is underneath the body and the layout ensures that all powertrain components are separate from the passenger compartment.
An intelligent power flow management system constantly monitors the energy flow between the battery and powertrain to guarantee that, in the event of an accident, the battery is disconnected automatically and, if needed, quickly discharges to levels below critical values.
BDNT said it worked closely with China’s official safety certification body, CATARTC, to jointly develop an electric vehicle safety standard for China and claims that, by also considering real life accident data, it has gone further than legal requirements to ensure the highest level of safety.
The Denza was tested over 18 months and 1.2m kilometres across all of China under extreme and various weather and road conditions. There was additional component testing and crash test programmes and the car was the first electric vehicle to be tested according to C-NCAP consumer ratings at C-NCAP facilities, obtaining the highest possible rating of five stars.
Production is on an independent line in Shenzhen, using Daimler methods.
Range is up to 300 kilometres (200 miles) and the battery can be charged from household power outlets, public charging facilities or special wall boxes – depending on outlet, this takes one to seven hours. An app for Android and iOS phones allows wall box customers to check charging status and vehicle location remotely and also contact dealerships.
The car seats five and has a 460 litre boot.
The 86kW motor provides a maximum speed of 150km/h (95mph) and peak torque of 290Nm.
The automaker reckones the average daily driving distance in China is 50km to 80km a day (30-50 miles) so a typical customer will only have to recharge twice a week. Driving 100km (62 miles) is said to cost less than RMB20 ($3.25).
Dedicated sales and service outlets at three of China’s dealership groups will distribute the vehicle, initially in Beijing (Pangda Group), Shanghai (Lei Shing Hong Group), and Shenzhen (Zhongsheng Group). Phase two market cities will include Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Tianjin.
THere are also 11 service centres, a round-the-clock customer service hotline and a strategic partnership with technology group ABB, with whom Denza aims to establish the world’s largest charging infrastructure in China by 2020.
ABB will provide a variety of flexible fast charging systems.
Electric car ownership perks include exemption from the standard licence plate lottery in Beijing and free license plates in Shanghai and Shenzhen on top of the subsidies.
There are two trim levels – Lifestyle, with standard leather upholstery and alloy wheels, and Executive which adds Harman-Kardon audio, adaptive xenon headlamps plus navigation.
