Denza Z9 GT delayed, electric shooting brake launch pushed to 2027

The Denza Z9 GT now won't arrive in Australia until the first half of 2027, as BYD's premium brand says it's "juggling priorities".

A Denza Australia spokesperson said there are "lots of moving pieces across the business", with both the BYD and Denza lineups continuing to expand.

"We don’t want to launch for the sake of meeting a date," he said. "It’s an important brand builder this model and needs to be launched in an optimal environment."

Denza had confirmed in April 2026 it would launch the Z9 GT in the third quarter (July to September) of 2026, a timetable which has now come and gone.

The premium brand only commenced customer deliveries this year of its first models to arrive in Australia, the large B5 and B8 plug-in hybrid off-road SUVs. It subsequently followed these with the D9 luxury electric people mover, a significantly lower-volume model. The Denza N9, a full-size plug-in hybrid crossover SUV, has now received Australian Design Rule (ADR) certification but launch timing has yet to be announced.

Given it's an electric wagon, the Z9 GT is likely to sell in lower volumes than the B5 and B8 as well. Pricing has yet to be announced for the Porsche Taycan rival, which is part of a clutch of Australia-bound electric sports wagons along with the Zeekr 7GT and Exlantix ES GT.

The Z9 GT will have a peak DC fast-charging capacity of 1500kW, making it compatible with BYD's new Flash ultra-fast chargers which it plans to roll out to selected dealers. It's the first such electric vehicle (EV) in Australia with BYD's next-generation Blade Battery 2.0 technology.

It features a tri-motor all-wheel drive electric powertrain, with one 230kW electric motor at the front and two 310kW units at the rear for a total system output of 850kW, powered by a 122.5kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.

Electric range is 1036km, albeit under the more generous CLTC cycle, while the claimed 0-100km/h time is a rapid 2.7 seconds.

The 370kW single-motor rear-wheel drive electric powertrain offered in China hasn't been confirmed for Australia, though Denza has said it's open to bringing the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version – featuring three electric motors plus a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a 63.8kWh LFP battery, good for 400km of CLTC range – should there be customer demand for it.

In the UK, the Z9 GT features air suspension, rear-wheel steering, a 17.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system flanked by a pair of smaller 13.2-inch screens, plus a cooling and heating refrigerator, 20-speaker 1150W Devialet sound system with Dolby Atmos, Nappa leather upholstery, and heated, ventilated and massaging front and outboard rear seats.

Options are limited to paint colours, larger 21-inch (instead of 20-inch) alloy wheels, and digital side mirrors.

In the UK market, it's priced from £107,340 (~A$204,000) in electric guise. In contrast, the B5 starts at £70,345 (~$133,900), while the D9 is priced from £77,445 (~A$147,400).

The B5 is priced from $77,185 before on-road costs in Australia, while the D9 is priced from $88,185 plus on-roads. The UK-market Z9 GT's price may not directly translate to the Australian market, but it indicates where the slippery electric wagon will be positioned within the brand's lineup Down Under.

Zeekr and Exlantix have yet to reveal pricing for their electric sports wagons in Australia.

MORE: Explore the Denza Z9 GT showroom