Chinese automaker BYD unveiled its boldest concept yet at this year's Shanghai auto show. As CleanTechnica reported, the Denza Z is a fully electric sports car designed to give the Tesla Roadster and Porsche 911 a run for their money.
Making this news even better is the vehicle's $40,000 price tag. With its supercar looks, modern tech, and accessible price point, it appears to be ready to shake up the performance vehicle segment in many parts of the world.
The Denza Z's features include a tri-motor e3 powertrain, an AI-powered steer-by-wire system, and magnetorheological dampers. The combination of these structures enables the vehicle to respond to road conditions in milliseconds. Aside from the coupe version, a convertible version is in the planning stage.
Like other electric vehicles, the Denza Z provides practical benefits that drivers can enjoy every time they take it out for a ride. It requires zero oil changes, which provides significant maintenance savings. It also runs quieter than gas-powered alternatives, emits no tailpipe pollution, and offers notable fuel savings. These benefits highlight why choosing an electric vehicle is more practical than ever.
Despite concerns around battery production and mining, data supports the long-term environmental benefits of EVs. A Reuters analysis noted that in the United States, a Tesla Model 3 needs to be driven around 13,500 miles before it offsets its manufacturing emissions and becomes cleaner than a Toyota Corolla.
The world extracts roughly 30 million tons of minerals per year for more affordable clean energy, which is a fraction of the 16.5 billion tons of dirty energy sources extracted and burned annually. Unlike coal, gas, and oil, those minerals are reusable and recyclable, creating a much smaller footprint.
The shift to low-carbon energy may increase mineral demand, but it remains a much more sustainable alternative to the ongoing extraction of dirty energy sources. Technologies including carbon nanotube battery improvements also continue to reduce waste across EV models.
As for the Denza Z, its launch date hasn't been confirmed. But its blend of performance, design, and price signals a shift. As Tu Le, founder of Sino Auto Insights, told CNN, BYD "puts their competitors on their heels."
While it's true BYD doesn't yet have an extensive track record and thus it's important to wait for crash and safety testing results as well as other car expert reviews before getting too carried away, with advances such as this one, the future of high-performance driving looks cleaner and more affordable than ever.
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