Denza’s Mercedes-Benz Partnership Ended in 2024; Current Models Are BYD-Only

A claim circulating on social media and automotive marketing materials describes Denza as a Chinese premium brand that is a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz, “designed by Mercedes-Benz and powered by BYD’s innovation.” However, we found that the claim is partly outdated and missing context, as it conflates Denza’s historical joint-venture origins with its current ownership structure and technology reality.

Social Media Posts

The claim appears across Facebook posts, which commonly describe Denza as a “BYD-Mercedes joint-venture brand” or suggest that current models are still designed by Mercedes-Benz. Some listings for recent models, such as the Denza N9, use phrases like “Mercedes-Benz BYD Technology,” which may give the impression of an ongoing collaboration.

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

Fact Check

Denza’s origins as a joint venture

Denza was founded in 2010–2011 as a 50:50 joint venture between BYD and Daimler AG (now Mercedes-Benz Group) to develop premium new-energy vehicles for the Chinese market. According to company histories and reporting by China automotive outlets, BYD contributed battery technology and electric drivetrains, while Daimler provided vehicle platforms, safety engineering, and premium-car know-how during the early phase of the brand’s development. This structure made Denza China’s first dedicated premium EV joint-venture brand and forms the basis of many claims still repeated online today. (Sources: Car News China, Car Expert)

Mercedes-Benz involvement in early design

For Denza’s early products, Mercedes-Benz played a clear role in design and engineering. The original Denza model, later marketed as the Denza 400 and 500, was based on a stretched first-generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class platform combined with BYD’s electric powertrain. Car News China’s reporting described the car as an amalgamation of Mercedes vehicle architecture and BYD EV technology, aimed at delivering German-style refinement with Chinese battery expertise.

The clearest example of Mercedes design input was the Denza X SUV, launched around 2019. Multiple automotive outlets reported that Mercedes-Benz designers were responsible for the exterior and interior styling, while BYD supplied the underlying Tang platform and EV/PHEV systems. Industry coverage consistently cites the Denza X as the last model with substantial Mercedes-led styling influence. (Source: Paultan, Gasgoo)

BYD Technology in Current Denza Models

From the early 2020s onward, Denza’s product strategy shifted toward BYD-developed platforms. Models such as the Denza D9, N7, N8, and newer derivatives are built on BYD’s EV architectures, including e-Platform 3.0, and feature BYD’s Blade Battery, electric motors, and vehicle software systems.

Denza materials reference BYD’s new-energy technology and intelligent vehicle systems, while noting Mercedes-Benz as part of the brand’s history. The brand references “13 years of cooperation” with Mercedes-Benz, referring to the partnership that concluded when Mercedes-Benz exited the joint venture in 2024. Denza operates as BYD’s premium electric vehicle brand. (Source: Al News, Ritzau)

End of the Mercedes-Benz partnership

Crucially, Mercedes-Benz is no longer a partner in Denza. In 2021, Mercedes reduced its stake from 50% to 10%, with BYD increasing its ownership to 90%. In late 2024, Mercedes-Benz sold its remaining shares, leaving BYD as the 100% owner of Denza. Business and automotive outlets reporting on the exit quoted Mercedes representatives confirming that current Denza models do not use Mercedes-Benz technology and that there is no ongoing joint engineering or design work. (Sources: Nikkei, Table Brieftings)

Here is a more precise timeline of Denza’s Mercedes-BYD partnership

• 2010: Mercedes-Benz and BYD form 50:50 joint venture DENZA New Energy Automotive Co. in Shenzhen to develop premium NEVs for China.
• 2021: BYD acquires Mercedes’ stake, increasing ownership to 90%; Mercedes retains 10% as a financial investor only, with no engineering role in new models.
• 2024: Mercedes fully exits by selling remaining 10% shares to BYD, BYD now owns 100%.
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Conclusion

The claim that Denza is “designed by Mercedes-Benz and powered by BYD’s innovation” is missing context. While it accurately describes the brand’s origins and early models like the Denza X, it does not reflect the current reality: Mercedes-Benz has fully exited the partnership as of 2024, and all recent Denza models are developed, designed, and manufactured entirely by BYD using its own platforms and technology.