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Credit: BYD Europe B.V.

Denza, the automotive brand of BYD Group, is set to introduce its Z9GT flagship electric vehicle in Europe alongside a new high-power charging technology called “FLASH Charging” on 8 April. 

The charging system pairs an updated version of BYD’s charging station with the second generation of the company’s Blade Battery. The charging station can deliver up to 1,500kW through a single cable using the Chinese-market connector. 

The company said the FLASH Charging system can increase the battery level from 10% to 70% in five minutes and added that the charge can reach 97% from 10% in around nine minutes. 

The Z9GT is based on Denza’s e3 Platform and is equipped with a 122kWh Blade Battery. 

The rear-wheel-drive version is claimed to deliver a driving range of up to 800km. A triple-motor variant of the electric vehicle is also planned, producing more than 960PS and capable of accelerating from 0 to 100km/h in under three seconds.

Britain’s transition to zero emission vehicles must urgently be reviewed before targets accelerate exponentially from 2027, the UK’s automotive industry has warned. In a strongly worded statement, the SMMT said the country’s net zero and economic growth ambitions could be thwarted under current arrangements. 

New analysis published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows the UK’s transition pathway was built on assumptions that have proved to be over-optimistic. Despite changes to regulatory flexibilities and the return of consumer incentives, the gap between policy ambition and market reality continues to widen, the SMMT said. 

The UK’s auto industry trade association said that conditions have changed so much that failing to reassess the route risks undermining the very objectives the policy was designed to achieve.

Volkswagen Group luxury brand Bentley has reported a seventh consecutive year of profitability. The brand reported operating profit of €216 million in 2025 reflecting, it said, extraordinary accounting effects, external trade and currency impacts.

However, customer deliveries declined by 5% during the year, driven largely by continued market contraction, particularly in China. This was partially offset by increased demand for higher-margin derivatives and a continued shift towards bespoke personalisation, resulting in a revenue decrease of just 1% at €2.6bn. 

The Bentayga continues to be Bentley’s best-selling model, with the Bentayga Speed entering key markets at the end of 2025. 

As part of its ongoing focus on long-term competitiveness and operational efficiency, Bentley says it will implement efficiency measures. It said overall efficiency activities could result in 275 positions being lost.

Chinese OEM Xpeng has confirmed that the new all-electric G6 SUV is now available UK retailers nationwide. It says the new model marks a significant milestone in the brand’s continued expansion. 

The Xpeng G6 is available from launch with a range of competitive finance offers, the company says. 

The Xpeng G6 Standard Range is available from £289 per month on PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) with an initial rental of £10,249 on a 49-month agreement, with an optional final payment of £15,869. BCH (Business Contract Hire) is also available at £289 per month with an initial rental of £2,601 on a 36-month agreement.

China-based Chery International has announced that its flagship Lepas L8 will go on sale in the UK in Q3 2026, signalling the brand’s arrival in the UK market. The new brand will be Chery’s fourth in the UK, joining Omoda, Jaecoo and the eponymous Chery brands that are already present. 

The brand name Lepas combines “Leopard”, “Leap” and “Passion”, it says. 

The brand also claims the L8 brings the brand’s signature design language, taking inspiration from the ‘agile, muscular contours of a running leopard, while the distinctive LED headlights are styled to echo the focused intensity of a leopard’s eye’. 

There is a five-seat cabin and the L8 is built on Chery International’s all-new New Energy Vehicle (NEV) modular platform.