Gasgoo Munich- On April 17, 2026, BYD marked a major production milestone as its 16 millionth new energy vehicle (NEV) rolled off the assembly line at its Changsha plant. The significant vehicle was the second-generation DENZA D9, a flagship premium MPV positioned at the intersection of technology and luxury—and notably the first unit of this new model produced globally.
Image source: BYD
The leap from BYD's first NEV to its 16 millionth underscores not only the company's rapid rise but also the broader acceleration of China's electric vehicle industry. The milestone highlights the scale and speed at which Chinese automakers have reshaped the global NEV landscape.
The milestone follows a record-breaking 2025, when BYD sold more than 4.6 million vehicles, securing the top position in China's auto market. Overseas sales exceeded 1.04 million units, with the company's footprint expanding to 119 countries and regions.
This growth has been underpinned by sustained investment in technology. BYD allocated 63.4 billion yuan to R&D in 2025 alone, bringing cumulative spending past 240 billion yuan. In March 2026, the company introduced its second-generation Blade Battery alongside the FLASH charging technology, targeting two long-standing EV pain points: slow charging and reduced efficiency in low temperatures.
In parallel, BYD unveiled its “FLASH Charging China” initiative, aiming to deploy 20,000 ultra-fast charging stations nationwide by year-end to significantly improve charging accessibility and convenience.
The second-generation DENZA D9, which carries a pre-sale price range of 389,800 to 489,800 yuan, serves as a showcase for BYD's latest technological advancements. It is the world's first production MPV equipped with the company's second-generation Blade Battery.
In terms of performance, the PHEV variant offers a battery-powered range of 401 km, while the BEV version can reach up to 800 km. Charging capability has also been significantly enhanced, with the vehicle able to gain substantial range in just five minutes and reach a full charge in nine minutes. Even in extreme conditions as low as -30°C, charging time increases by only about three minutes.
The model comes standard with BYD's God's Eye 5.0 driver assistance system, built on a fully closed-loop, end-to-end architecture. The platform incorporates reinforcement learning capabilities, enabling continuous improvement based on real-world driving data. The result is smoother vehicle control, more precise parking functions, and faster system responsiveness—key features as automakers compete to differentiate in the era of software-defined vehicles.
