Chinese EV Now Drives 664 Miles on Single Charge

A luxury electric sedan from China just proved that range anxiety might soon be a thing of the past.

BYD's premium Denza brand announced its refreshed Z9 sedan will travel up to 1,068 kilometers (664 miles) on a single charge. That's farther than most gas-powered luxury cars can go on a full tank, marking a pivotal moment in the electric vehicle revolution.

The Z9 achieves this impressive range with a 122.5 kWh battery pack while maintaining the same weight as the previous model. Even more remarkable, the company is installing ultra-fast chargers at dealerships that can recharge the battery as quickly as filling a gas tank.

The sedan comes in multiple configurations to fit different needs. A single-motor version offers maximum efficiency and range, while a performance GT model with three motors delivers a staggering 1,140 horsepower. Even the powerful version still manages 860 kilometers (534 miles) of range.

At around $50,000 for the current model, the Z9 costs about the same as an average new car in America. That's significantly less than comparable gas-powered luxury sedans like the Mercedes S-Class, which the Z9 matches in size and features.

BYD plans to bring the Z9 to Europe and is building thousands of fast-charging stations across the continent. The company also has solid-state batteries in development for next year, which could make 1,000-kilometer ranges standard across their lineup.

The Ripple Effect

This breakthrough matters beyond impressive numbers. When Tesla's Model S started winning drag races years ago, people stopped thinking electric cars were slow. Now that EVs can outdrive gas cars on range, another mental barrier falls away.

The psychological shift could accelerate electric vehicle adoption worldwide. Just as most gas car buyers don't obsess over fuel tank size, EV shoppers may soon stop worrying about battery capacity. Range becomes a non-issue when it exceeds what people actually need.

Other Chinese automakers are already racing to match these capabilities, creating healthy competition that benefits consumers. As fast-charging networks expand globally, the final practical arguments against electric vehicles continue disappearing.

The question is shifting from "Can electric cars work for road trips?" to "Why would I choose anything else?"