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BYD's Denza Z9 GT gets God's Eye City Navigation in Europe for 2027. "BYD will push a City Navigation on Driving Assistant update to the Denza Z9 GT in Europe next year via OTA, using pre-installed LiDAR and camera hardware to handle dense urban driving, while the GT already delivers 1,140 hp and 5-minute flash charging." Devon Vance Key Takeaways * - BYD will enable City Navigation on Driving Assistant (CNOA) on the Denza Z9 GT in Europe via OTA in 2027 using pre-installed LiDAR and camera hardware. * - CNOA handles point-to-point urban driving: red lights, roundabouts, speed limits, left turns, lane changes around obstacles, and pedestrian/cyclist detection. * - The Z9 GT EV delivers 1,140 hp from a tri-motor e3 platform with 122.49 kWh battery and 599 km WLTP range. * - Flash Charging at up to 1,500 kW enables 10-70% in 5 minutes and 10-97% in 9 minutes, even at -30°C. * - European pricing starts at €115,000 (EV) and £95,000 (PHEV in UK), positioning directly against Porsche Panamera/Taycan. BYD just confirmed that its Denza Z9 GT, the luxury GT that launched in Europe this past July, will get a serious brain upgrade in 2027. The company's "God's Eye" intelligent driving system is adding City Navigation on Driving Assistant (CNOA), and it's coming via over-the-air update to hardware that's already sitting in every Z9 GT delivered to European customers. This isn't a future promise with vague timelines. The LiDAR, twelve ultrasonic sensors, three millimeter-wave radars, and eleven cameras are already bolted to the car. BYD is just waiting on the software. Stella Li, BYD's executive vice president, put it plainly: "We're excited to fulfill our promise to bring the benefits of God's Eye, including City Navigation on Driving Assistant, to the Z9GT." What CNOA actually does. Most advanced driver assistance systems on the market today handle highway cruising, lane keeping, adaptive cruise, maybe automated lane changes on open roads. CNOA targets the messy stuff: dense city centers. According to BYD, the system can handle point-to-point through urban environments, which means it stops at red lights, yields at roundabouts, respects posted speed limits, executes left turns across traffic, and changes lanes around double-parked vehicles. It also detects pedestrians and cyclists on narrow streets. That's a meaningful step up from highway-only automation. If it works as described, it puts Denza in direct competition with Mercedes' Drive Pilot and Tesla's FSD (Supervised) for urban capability, except BYD is delivering it on hardware that's already shipping. The hardware is already there. This is the part that matters for current owners. Every Z9 GT sold in Europe and the UK already carries the full sensor suite: one LiDAR unit, twelve ultrasonic sensors, three millimeter-wave radars, and eleven cameras. No retrofit required. No dealer visit. The 2027 OTA update enables capability that the car was built for from day one. BYD launched the Z9 GT in Europe in July 2026 as its first vehicle on the continent to use the tri-motor e3 platform, second-generation Blade Batteries, and Flash Charging technology. The company called it "Europe's Flash Charging revolution" at launch. Now they're layering urban autonomy on top. The car underneath the software. Let's not lose the plot on what this vehicle actually is. The all-electric Z9 GT packs a 122.49 kWh battery feeding three motors for a combined 1,140 horsepower (850 kW) and 892 lb-ft of torque. That's supercar territory in a four-door GT that stretches 5,195 mm long, basically Porsche Panamera dimensions. WLTP range lands at 599 km (372 miles), while the more optimistic CLTC cycle claims 1,036 km (643 miles). There's also a single-motor variant with a rear-mounted 370 kW (496 hp) motor, though BYD hasn't detailed European availability for that version yet. Flash Charging changes the conversation. The charging story remains the Z9 GT's wildest spec. BYD's Flash Charging stations deliver up to 1,500 kW. The marketing tagline, "Ready in 5, Full in 9, Cold Add 3", translates to: 10% to 70% in five minutes, 10% to 97% in nine minutes, and even at -30°C you're looking at 20% to 97% in twelve minutes. That's gasoline-station parity, assuming you can find a 1,500 kW charger. The network buildout is the real constraint here, not the car. Pricing positions it above the mainstream. European pricing starts at €115,000 ($130,000) for the EV including VAT. UK buyers pay £105,000 ($139,000) for the EV and £95,000 ($126,000) for the plug-in hybrid (DM) variant. This is Panamera/Taycan money, and BYD knows it, they literally benchmark the dimensions against those cars. The PHEV version uses BYD's DM (Dual Mode) plug-in hybrid system, though the source doesn't specify its electric-only range or combined output. What this means for the European EV market. My read: BYD is executing a two-pronged strategy that legacy European brands are struggling to match. First, they're deploying charging speeds that make EV ownership feel like ICE ownership, if the infrastructure follows. Second, they're shipping Level 3-capable hardware today and activating it via software tomorrow. Mercedes charges extra for Drive Pilot hardware and geofences it to Germany. Tesla promises FSD but keeps pushing the timeline. BYD just puts the sensors on every car and says "2027." The risk? Execution. Urban navigation in European cities, narrow medieval streets, complex roundabouts, aggressive scooter traffic, inconsistent signage, is a vastly harder problem than Chinese urban environments where God's Eye has been developing. BYD hasn't disclosed whether CNOA will launch simultaneously across all European markets or roll out country by country based on regulatory approval and mapping completeness. Denza Z9 GT: EV vs PHEV at a Glance. | Spec / Feature | Z9 GT EV (Tri-Motor) | Z9 GT PHEV (DM) | | Powertrain | 3 motors, 850 kW (1,140 hp) | Plug-in hybrid (DM system) | | Battery | 122.49 kWh | Not specified | | WLTP Range (EV) | 599 km (372 mi) | Not specified | | 0-100 km/h | Not specified | Not specified | | Flash Charging | Up to 1,500 kW | Likely lower / not supported | | Starting Price (EU) | €115,000 | Not specified | | Starting Price (UK) | £105,000 | £95,000 | | God's Eye CNOA (2027 OTA) | Yes | Presumed yes | | Sensor Suite | LiDAR + 11 cameras + 15 radars | Same hardware expected | What's next. The 2027 OTA window is the next concrete milestone. Before that, watch for BYD's Flash Charging network expansion in Europe, the car's party trick is useless without the chargers. Also watch whether the single-motor 370 kW variant gets a European homologation. that could drop the entry price significantly. And keep an eye on regulatory approval for CNOA in individual EU markets, Germany's L3 framework exists, but France, Italy, and the UK each have their own processes. Frequently asked questions. When will the God's Eye CNOA update arrive for European Denza Z9 GT owners? BYD confirms the City Navigation on Driving Assistant (CNOA) update will roll out via OTA in 2027, starting with the Z9 GT. The required hardware, LiDAR, 12 ultrasonic sensors, 3 millimeter-wave radars, and 11 cameras, is already installed on all units delivered in Europe. What charging speeds does the Denza Z9 GT actually support? The Z9 GT supports up to 1,500 kW Flash Charging. BYD claims 10% to 70% in 5 minutes, 10% to 97% in 9 minutes, and 20% to 97% in 12 minutes even at -30°C. This requires BYD's Flash Charging stations, which are still rolling out across Europe. How does the Denza Z9 GT compare to the Porsche Panamera in size and price? The Z9 GT measures 5,195 mm long with a 3,125 mm wheelbase, nearly identical to the Panamera. European pricing starts at €115,000 for the EV (£105,000 in UK), while the PHEV starts at £95,000 in the UK. This places it squarely in Panamera/Taycan pricing territory. Discussion (0). You must be signed in to post a comment. No comments yet. Start the conversation!

Japan: Suzuki prices e Sky below BYD & Honda's electric kei cars. Suzuki has announced the starting price of the e Sky in Japan. The brand's first electric kei car will start at 2.12 million yen (~€12,000 euros), undercutting rivals from BYD and Honda. Sales are set to commence on 16 November. By Sagar Parikh 15.10.2026 - 18:00 The Japanese automaker will offer three trims: A, G, and X. Above the entry-level A, the G and X trims will retail at 2.39 million yen (~€13,500) and 2.79 million yen (~€15,750), respectively. The company says it will build the A trim to order, while the G and X trims will be regular production configurations. The e Sky is based on a newly developed, dedicated EV platform called 'Heartect-e'. Suzuki also developed the car's eAxle itself, combining the motor, inverter, and reduction gears into a single component weighing approximately 47 kg. The motor is an AC synchronous unit, internally designated 'BB8A', and produces 47 kW and 133 Nm of torque. Suzuki uses a 26 kWh LFP battery pack sourced from BYD in the e Sky. Rather than offering a large battery pack like the BYD does with the Racco's optional 35.84 LFP unit, which delivers a WLTC range of 320 km, the company has focused on achieving high efficiency. Thanks to a low energy consumption of 97 Wh/km, the e Sky can travel 310 km on a single charge, just 10 km less than the Racco with the 35.84 LFP battery pack. The 26 kWh LFP battery pack supports charging at up to 6 kW via an AC charger and at up to 50 kW via a DC charger. However, Suzuki offers DC charging capability only in the G and X trims, through a CHAdeMO port, which customers can also use for vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-home (V2H) functions. Charging from low-battery warning to 100 per cent SoC via a 6 kW charger takes approximately four and a half hours. Via a 50 kW DC charger, charging from the same level to 80 per cent SoC takes 25 minutes. Depending on the trim, Suzuki will offer the e Sky with features such as LED headlamps and tail lamps, a 4.2-inch driver information display, a 10.1-inch HD touchscreen infotainment system, two USB Type-C ports, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a six-speaker audio system. The company will also offer a host of safety and driver-assistance features, including a 360-degree camera system, six airbags, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Departure Prevention, Vehicle Sway Warning, Driver Drowsiness Warning, and Adaptive Cruise Control. According to a report from Nikkei, Suzuki could launch the e Sky in Europe as early as 2027. The company is considering the UK and Italy as the primary export markets in the region. Another report from the Japanese publication has hinted at BYD also planning an entry in this emerging segment in Europe with a model that features a battery pack with a space-saving layout similar to that of the Racco. Honda has already launched an adapted version of its electric kei car, the N-One e, as the Super-N in the UK. 0 comments. about "Japan: Suzuki prices e Sky below BYD & Honda's electric kei cars"

New 30 KMPL SUV India launch soon? October 15, 2026 BYD cars in India have been selling well for their price, mainly because they offer a mix of efficiency and luxury at a competitive price. With that in mind, BYD plans to launch a new SUV in India, which could be its best mileage model yet. It has been spotted being tested across India, and MotorOctane expect the car to launch soon. - Advertisement - New BYD Seal U PHEV coming to India. This would be the Chinese manufacturer's fifth product in India; it will compete with cars like the upcoming JSW Combat (Jetour T2-based SUV) and the MG Tomahawk PHEV. The DM-i is BYD's electric-first plug-in hybrid tech that uses the internal combustion engine as a range extender. The upcoming Seal U DM-i will use this technology to help the 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine achieve exceptional mileage. It will draw power from the battery pack and, depending on the variant, one or two electric motors. This setup allows a 126 km range in electric-only mode, making city-to-city commutes incredibly efficient. - Advertisement - BYD claims this hybrid powertrain can deliver a combined range (petrol + electric) of up to 1,080 kilometres. However, BYD India recently earned recognition in the India Book of Records for "The Longest Distance Covered By A Plug-in hybrid vehicle on a single charge and fuel tank." The BYD Seal U DM-i covered 1,735 kilometres - 655 kilometres more than the claimed range. With this range, the Seal U could deliver close to 30 km/l (approx.). - Advertisement - Features. Enough about the range, let's talk features. It sports a similar design philosophy in the interior as the Sealion 7; the showstopper is the 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, a 360-degree camera, Level-2 ADAS, six airbags (standard), powered front seats with ventilation, ambient lighting and a PM 2.5 air purification system to name a few. Globally, it sells with two battery packs, 18.3 kWh and 26.6 kWh, offered in three variants: Boost, Comfort and Design. Comfort offers the highest efficiency of the three. It is also offered with AWD in the Design variant. MotorOctane expect BYD India to offer all three variants, but the Seal U DM-i's success depends on one factor. BYD Seal U PHEV expected price. Pricing will determine whether this model succeeds - the BYD Seal U PHEV is expected to launch by year-end. With plug-in hybrid tech, it could be priced in the Rs. 50 lakh to Rs. 60 lakh range (on-road, Mumbai). - Advertisement - - Advertisment -