It has taken a lot of work for Denza to arrive this luxurious
The founder of the BYD and Denza brands was not born with a silver spoon. But he has put in more than enough work, grabbed timely opportunities, and soldiered on despite the odds to eventually find gold in the mobility industry.
BYD’s founder, chair and chief executive officer, Wang Chuanfu, grew up in one of China’s poorest provinces. Orphaned as a teen, he was raised by his elder siblings before making it into college to become an engineer and chemist. In 1995, he chose an acronym for “Build Your Dreams” as the name of his startup.
New York Times bestselling author John Doerr, in his book “Speed & Scale (An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now),” wrote that a quarter of a century later, Wang’s roaring success had landed him on lists of China’s wealthiest individuals.
Aside from Doerr’s book, I’ve read other literature that talked about Wang’s life journey. My key takeaway here is that, had Wang been less stubborn, or distracted from his goal right after starting out with cellphone, laptop, and tablet batteries and solar energy storage technologies, and launching BYD’s auto subsidiary in 2003 (a significantly higher risk than building a battery business), there would never have been a BYD that could unseat Tesla in the global EV market race. There would have been no BYD to develop electric buses and budget-priced compact cars in China’s largest cities at a time when air pollution was a nightmare in the country. His fanatical engineering mindset, combined with ruthless operational execution, made BYD (and its luxury brand, Denza) what it is today.
Denza, BYD’s premium arm, boasts of combining advanced EV technology with refined craftsmanship and progressive design. The brand represents a new standard in the premium new energy vehicles segment and signals the direction in which premium mobility is evolving globally.
As chairman of the BYD Group, Wang holds ultimate authority over Denza. He has positioned Denza as a key competitor to high-end luxury brands, utilizing BYD’s intelligent driving systems and Blade Battery tech to target the premium market.
Flagship dealerships
My first face-to-face encounter with Denza was just this Feb. 26 during the inauguration of the Denza dealership in Alabang, Muntinlupa. The venue is familiar, as it formerly housed the Honda Alabang dealership.
The Alabang dealership opening was held the day before the official presentation of the Denza brand in the Philippines. ACMobility Premium Dealership—the luxury and premium dealership arm of ACMobility—and Denza Philippines inaugurated Denza Alabang as part of the brand’s broader launch in the Philippine market.
“Over the past few years, ACMobility has played a leading role in advancing electric mobility in the Philippines. Beyond growing awareness, our focus has been on building the foundations that make EV ownership accessible,” said Dana Uson, president and CEO of ACMobility Premium Dealership. “With Denza and ACMobility Premium Dealership, we take that experience into the premium segment. As the market matures, customers are seeking not only innovation and sustainability, but also distinction and elevated design. Denza allows us to serve that evolving demand with confidence and capability.”
In quick succession, Denza inaugurated flagship dealerships in Alabang, Makati City, San Juan, and Cebu, which the company said “reinforces its commitment to building a strong dealer network and bringing premium NEV solutions closer to Filipino drivers.”
The inauguration ceremonies were mounted in collaboration with Denza’s dealer partners: ACMobility Premium Dealership Inc, Harmony New Energy Auto Service (Philippines) Ltd. Corp, and E-Vantage Motors Inc. The events were attended by Liu Xueliang, general manager of the BYD Asia-Pacific Sales Division, and Adam Hu, country head of BYD & Denza Philippines, together with officials from the respective host cities.
“Denza represents a new standard of premium mobility, where advanced technology enhances comfort, innovation is seamless, and sustainability meets performance,” said Liu. “Every detail of Denza is designed to provide a refined and effortless driving experience.”
Confidence in PH
BYD sold 26,122 units in the Philippines in 2025. This gave Liu’s team the confidence to launch Denza in the country.
Denza Philippines was officially launched Feb. 27 at Shangri-La The Fort in Bonifacio Global City. They spared no expense here, the event feeling like it came straight out of the Beijing Auto Show—complete with a mobile studio that moved the vehicles on stage—providing a visual treat for those covering the motoring and business beats. The stage featured a floor-to-ceiling screen that occupied the sides of the entire venue, accompanied by a live symphonic performance by Grammy-nominated conductor and composer Maestro Darrell Ang and the Manila Symphony Orchestra. This set up a refined tone for the event, reflecting Denza’s philosophy that technology and elegance can play out in harmony.
Throughout the event, we were reminded of the brand philosophy: “Technology Drives Elegance.”
I will be definitely expecting more from Denza Philippines in the coming months.
“We are introducing a brand for individuals who seek a premium mobility experience—where innovation enhances comfort, every detail is carefully considered, and every journey feels refined and effortless. The D9 is just the beginning of our commitment to delivering this, and we look forward to expanding our presence in the months ahead,” said Hu.
Hu presented the premium 7-seater luxury D9 DM-i, priced at P4,298,000, which is now available locally. The price will be reduced to P3,998,000 for the first 300 buyers. The D9 goes head-to-head with luxury MPVs like the Lexus LM. Hu enumerated the perks of being a Denza D9 owner, including contact center support, 24/7 roadside assistance, an 8-year or 160,000-km battery warranty, free chargers (AC wall charger and portable charger), and a free 3-year PMS (preventive maintenance schedule). He also introduced community support for D9 owners via the Denza Club.
The D9 features a sophisticated super DM-i system that pairs a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with high-performance dual electric motors. Together, the system produces up to 400 horsepower and 681 Nm of torque. It claims to have a capable all-wheel drive system. Its range is up to 980 km on a full tank and a fully charged battery combined—offering flexibility for both daily city drives and long-distance journeys.
Powering its electric drive is BYD’s renowned Blade Battery with a 40kWh capacity. Built on BYD’s advanced e-Platform 3.0 architecture, the D9 achieves a refined balance of efficiency, safety, adaptability, and ride comfort—ensuring a composed and confident drive in varying conditions.
Liu noted: “Denza was created to offer a new interpretation of modern mobility—where advanced electrification and elegant design come together to create meaningful experiences. The D9 represents that vision, and we are excited for Filipino customers to experience what the brand stands for.”
Guests were also given an exclusive preview of Denza’s expanding lineup, including the Denza Z9 GT, Denza B5, and Denza B8, offering a glimpse into the brand’s broader vision for premium new energy mobility in the Philippines.
More D9 features
Inside the D9 cabin, there is a 15.6-inch central infotainment display, dual 12.8-inch rear entertainment screens, and a 14-speaker Dynaudio sound system.
For second-row occupants, there are zero-gravity executive seats with 10-way power adjustment, 6-way adjustable headrests, extendable leg rests, and heating, ventilation, and massage functions.
There’s a built-in smart refrigerator, wireless charging, power sliding doors, and multi-color ambient lighting.
There’s also the Denza App, which allows owners to remotely monitor vehicle status, track location, manage charging, and control key functions directly from their smartphones.
All three rows are upholstered in Nappa leather. A quick search reveals that most Nappa leather comes from cows, although some tanners use infantile hides from calves, kid goats, or lambs. This is a big letdown for me, as I expected more from technology-driven companies like BYD and Denza, which are supposed to be progressive in terms of their environmental philosophy. Knowing the advances in technology today, where global luxury car brands are already starting to shift to cruelty-free materials not sourced from innocent creatures, it is quite disappointing that Denza chose Nappa leather.
Technology and sophistication have truly come a long way in the mobility industry, but it may also be time for compassion and kindness to play a bigger part in high-end technologies. I do hope that the hardworking leaders and innovators over at BYD and Denza also take the lead in offering premium non-animal sourced leather. That’s the dream of this hopeful writer.
