BYD Just Turned the Denza N8 Into a 1,193-HP Electric Monster

The Denza N8 is starting a new chapter. Gone is the coupe-inspired styling of the old model, replaced by a more traditional SUV shape under BYD's ownership. It's also no longer arriving alone, with a larger six-seat N8L joining the lineup.

The redesign should make the N8 much more practical. The taller roof promises better headroom, while the old third row is gone, leaving the standard model as a five-seater. Anyone needing extra seats will have to step up to the N8L.

According to China's MIIT, the N8 measures 202.7 inches long, while the N8L grows to 204.7 inches. Both share the same 121-inch wheelbase, plus identical width and height. The styling is also new, borrowing slim daytime running lights from the Denza Z9, stacked headlights, and a full-width rear light bar. Buyers will be able to choose between 20- and 21-inch wheels, body-colored roofs, custom brake calipers, and powered side steps.

Denza plans to launch the N8 with three electric powertrains. Two rear-wheel-drive versions produce 429 hp and 496 hp, but it's the flagship that grabs the attention. It packs three electric motors, with one producing 362 hp at the front and two more generating 416 hp each at the rear. Combined output reaches 1,193 hp.

That's actually more than the Ferrari F80. Power comes from BYD's second-generation Blade Battery, which supports the company's 1,500 kW Flash Charging technology. Charging times haven't been announced yet, but BYD says they'll be close to what it takes to refuel a comparable gasoline SUV.

The tech list is just as ambitious. The N8 gets BYD's God's Eye 5.0 driver assistance system, built for both city streets and highways using an end-to-end AI model trained on real driving data. A roof-mounted LiDAR sensor and millimeter-wave radars provide the hardware. Full details will come later, but one thing is already clear. The N8 has moved a long way from the SUV Mercedes helped create.