The Denza electric car is now going to be available through some of China’s largest car dealers, thanks to a new deal between the Denza EV holding company Shenzen BYD Daimler New Technology Co and Zhongsheng Group Holdings. The new deal will make the EVs available in dealerships throughout Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.
The new deal has yet to actually be announced, but is expected to be announced soon. The deal is expected to add in Denza dealers by the end of July. The dealership alliance is a big step forward for the Denza, and should give the EV a bit of an advantage over its competitors.
The Denza EV was built as a 50/50 joint venture between Daimler and BYD Co, which began in 2010. While the only model that has been revealed yet by the company is popularly known as the Denza EV, Denza is actually the name of the full line that is being developed. The first model — the E6, built on the Mercedes-Benz B-Class platform — is expected to be available by the middle of 2014.
Autoblog Green has specifics on the partnership:
BYD has been selling its B6 electric car under its own brand and the joint venture announced in April that it expects to begin deliveries of its first Denzas in mid-2014. Under the joint-venture agreement, Daimler is providing knowledge in EV architecture and safety, and BYD is bringing batteries and the e-drive system to the Denza EV.
It’s worth noting that the competition level amongst EV manufacturers in China is quickly growing — so the advantage conferred by the new deal with the dealerships will no doubt be useful. The largest automaker in the country — SAIC Motor Corp — just launched its new Roewe E50 EV model, and the third-biggest automotive group in the country — Donfeng Motors — is gearing up for the release of its Fengshen E30 EV. Both of these companies will be direct competitors with the Denza line.