BYD showcases battery, charging technology in 15,000km journey from Rome to Hong Kong
Chinese electric vehicle maker says journey was inspired by travels of Marco Polo more than 750 years ago
A fleet of upgraded versions of the Z9GT, a car produced under BYD’s premium Denza brand, has been travelling across European countries including Italy, Croatia, Serbia and Turkey for nearly a month at the start of a 15,000km (9,315 mile) journey expected to take around 43 days, the company said.
The Z9GT, fitted with BYD’s Blade Battery 2.0 packs – arranged in an array to increase energy density and resistance to overheating – can go as far as 1,036km on a single charge. BYD said early this year that it offered the world’s longest mileage for a mass-produced pure electric car.
The trip, which started on June 13, was inspired by the legendary travels of Marco Polo more than 750 years ago and is taking place amid a surge in BYD deliveries outside China as the global energy shock arising from the US-Israel war with Iran boosts sales of battery-powered vehicles.