New Denza Z9S Breaks Range & Handling Records At Average US Car Price

This is a heads-up on a new electric car, not something tied to home energy upgrades, but worth knowing about if you're weighing an EV purchase alongside other household changes. BYD's Denza brand just launched the Z9S sedan in China, and it's notable mainly for value: it starts at roughly $47,000, close to the average new-car price in the US ($49,758 as of June). For that price, it claims a record 684 miles of range on the Chinese CLTC test cycle, plus a fast-charging battery (LFP type) that can add hundreds of miles of range in about 5 to 9 minutes and can be routinely charged to 100% without the battery wear concerns some other EV batteries have.

The car also set a record on the "moose test," a standard obstacle-avoidance handling test, outperforming cars costing far more. BYD frames all this range and speed as a way to make owning an EV feel as worry-free as a gas car — enough range and fast enough charging that most drivers won't think about it day to day.

None of this is available in the US yet — it's a China-market launch, and the article notes that American car buyers currently have fewer EV options and higher prices, with more advanced Chinese EV technology largely absent from the US market due to trade barriers. Still, it's a sign of how quickly EV range, charging speed, and price are improving elsewhere, which may eventually shape what becomes available closer to home.