BYD’s new electric shooting brake, the Denza Z9 GT, is coming to the UK and it’s bringing next-level charging tech with it. We’re talking 1000kW speeds that can add up to 249 miles of range in just five minutes. That’s way faster than anything currently available here.
The tech launched earlier this year in China on the BYD Han L saloon and Tang L SUV. It uses two 500kW cables at once, plugged into the Z9’s dual ports, to hit a combined 1000kW output.
BYD originally planned to install 5,000 of these megachargers across China in the first year, but things moved quicker than expected. They’re now targeting 15,000 units in the same time.
Next up is the UK. BYD’s vice-president, Stella Li, confirmed we’re one of the top markets and that the first chargers should be live by the end of 2025. They’ll likely appear first at Denza dealerships to support the launch of the Z9 GT, which is due on sale here in early 2026.
There’s no full rollout plan yet, but BYD is already in talks with UK companies to make it happen. Powering the chargers won’t rely fully on the grid either; some will be backed up by battery storage and solar panels.
All future electric Denzas will support this charging speed. The upcoming B5 SUV and D9 MPV won’t, since they’re plug-in hybrids, but full EVs coming after them will.
Even better, these chargers won’t be exclusive to BYD. If another EV can handle the power, it can use them too. Right now, BYD is one of the few companies building cars that can take the full 1000kW.
Stella Li says this changes the way we think about EV range. If charging takes minutes, drivers might prefer smaller batteries and cheaper cars. She even hinted that future affordable models like the £18,000 Dolphin Surf could get the tech once prices come down.
No word yet on when that might happen, but the fact it’s even being considered shows how fast things are moving.
