Chinese electric brand Denza recruits Daniel Craig for launch of new range in Europe
What could be a clearer sign of the changing times in the automotive industry than the most recent actor to play James Bond posing in front of a Chinese EV?
But yes, that is what has happened, as Daniel Craig helps launch Denza’s new range in Europe ahead of its global expansion in 2026.
Denza has got the former 007 actor on board ahead of its first European model launch on April 8, with its flagship Z9GT set to be officially presented at the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris
If you can’t wait that long, however, our man Alex Goy got behind the wheel of a Z9GT in December. It comes with a 100.1kWh battery putting out 952bhp and enabling a 0-62mph time of 3.4 seconds and top speed of 49mph. For a full insight, you can read his review here.
Denza joins growing Chinese influence in Europe
The premium brand of BYD claims to be the “world's first premium brand devoted solely to new-energy vehicles for sustainable mobility” and is another name added to an ever-growing list of Chinese manufacturers making a splash in Europe, which includes Omoda, Chery, Geely, Jaecoo and Leapmotor.
BYD is already top of that particular tree, having officially overtaken Tesla as the world's largest EV seller. The Denza Z9GT slots seamlessly into the BYD infrastructure and is able to use its Flash Charging technology. This means a 10 to 70% charge (249 miles) in just five minutes and 10 to 97% (391 miles) in only nine minutes.
BYD is also set to install hundreds more of its Flash Chargers, which boast three times more power than most EV chargers, across the UK this year.
words: Mike Booth
pictures: DENZA