BYD's Denza N8 Opens Pre-Orders: A Luxury Electric SUV That Crosses 1,000 km

BYD has started taking reservations in China for the Denza N8, and the headline number is hard to ignore: 1,003 km of CLTC range from a pure-electric luxury SUV. That makes it the first SUV from the BYD family to clear the 1,000 km barrier under CLTC testing — a milestone the company’s own Denza Z9 GT already reached in the sedan category.

Denza general manager Li Hui didn’t hide his enthusiasm. Pre-orders opened Monday and early interest has been, in his words, “excellent,” with the brand billing the five-seater as the most anticipated luxury SUV of the year.

Key Specs: 105.79 kWh or 130.15 kWh Blade 2.0 battery · Up to 1,003 km CLTC range (800 km on the smaller pack) · 890 kW / 1,193 hp tri-motor AWD · 5,150 mm long, 3,075 mm wheelbase

Bigger Than the Usual Suspects

At 5,150 mm long, 1,999 mm wide and 1,820 mm tall, with a 3,075 mm wheelbase, the N8 EV stretches slightly past the Kia EV9 and Hyundai IONIQ 9. It’s a properly large footprint, and Denza has filled it with cabin tech rather than chrome.

The centrepiece is a 30-inch infotainment display that runs almost the entire width of the passenger-side dash, paired with a 43-inch (1.1-metre) panoramic head-up display sitting at the base of the windscreen. Zero-gravity seats appear in every row, and buyers get a three-spoke wheel, wireless charging pads and ambient lighting.

On the driver-assistance side, a roof-mounted LiDAR feeds BYD’s God’s Eye 5.0 system, while DiSus-A intelligent air suspension handles the ride.

Two Powertrain Paths

Buyers can pick between rear-wheel drive and a tri-motor all-wheel-drive setup. The RWD variant uses a single motor rated at either 320 kW (429 hp) or 370 kW (496 hp). Step up to the tri-motor, built on BYD’s e3 platform, and you get a 270 kW (362 hp) front unit plus two 310 kW (416 hp) motors at the rear — 890 kW (1,193 hp) combined.

Battery options come from regulatory filings: a 130.15 kWh Blade 2.0 pack for the 1,003 km figure, or a 105.79 kWh unit good for 800 km CLTC.

Pricing Still Under Wraps

BYD hasn’t published pre-order prices. Li confirmed the official launch is set for November, and the N8 will follow the slightly longer, six-seat N8L onto the market. That car starts at 299,800 RMB (around $45,000) in Premium trim and 329,800 RMB (roughly $49,000) for the Flagship — so expect the standard N8 to land below that line.

• Deposit: 2,000 RMB (~$200) reservation
• Incentive: 5,000 RMB credit for early reservers
• Launch: November, China first

Worth noting: the plug-in hybrid N8 this car replaces managed 1,003 km combined on a full tank and charge. The new EV matches that number on electricity alone. Whether the CLTC figure survives contact with real-world driving is another question — that cycle is notoriously generous — but the direction of travel is clear.