A camouflage-wrapped vehicle strongly resembling the Denza D9 electric people mover has been photographed on a truck in Melbourne's south-east, adding weight to expectations that BYD's (HKG: 1211) premium sub-brand is preparing a third model for the Australian market as early as 2026.

Source: Reddit @CHEEK8475

The sighting, reported by The Driven on February 23, 2026, follows the D9's Australian Design Rules (ADR) approval in early December 2025. Though the vehicle's panels and badges were covered, identifying details — including the rear lip spoiler, sliding door handles, front door handle design, and Giti-branded tyres (a supplier commonly associated with BYD Group products) — were consistent with the D9's known silhouette.

A blurred D9 outline is also visible under a "coming soon" banner on Denza's Australian website, and a camouflaged example had previously been photographed charging at a Woolworths car park in Melbourne in December 2025 — days after Denza officially launched in the country.

Denza entered Australia in late 2025 with two plug-in hybrid SUVs: the B5, from AU$74,990 before on-road costs, and the larger B8, from AU$91,000. Both target the premium four-wheel-drive segment occupied by the Toyota LandCruiser Prado and LandCruiser 300. At the opening of Denza's Sydney showroom, COO Mark Harland confirmed that several additional models were under evaluation for 2026, without confirming specific nameplates.

"We're looking to bring in two, maybe three, additional cars in 2026," Harland told CarExpert, describing both the D9 and the Z9/Z9 GT sports wagon as being on his list, though he had not formally committed to either. The D9, he explained, had received vehicle type approval (VTA) precisely because it was already available in right-hand drive from its deployments in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

The ADR filing confirms two battery-electric variants for Australia: a single-motor front-wheel-drive version producing 230 kW, and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive model rated at 275 kW combined. Both carry a kerb weight of 2,764–2,865 kg and measure 5,250 mm (206 in) long, 1,960 mm wide, and 1,920 mm tall, on a 3,110 mm wheelbase. Neither variant lists a towing rating. Wheel size is confirmed as 18 inches. Crucially, the filing shows the Australian D9 will arrive as a pure battery-electric vehicle — contrary to earlier expectations that a plug-in hybrid would lead.

The 103 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) Blade Battery found in the current-generation D9 EV is expected to deliver approximately 480 km (298 miles) of WLTP range. The D9 rides on BYD's e-Platform 3.0, shared with other high-volume BYD Group products, and features a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, and rear-seat entertainment screens on upper trim levels. Physical steering wheel buttons — an intentional step back from touch controls that have drawn criticism in other models — are standard.

In China, the D9 has become the country's best-selling MPV for two consecutive years, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the high-end new energy MPV segment. It sold 117,978 units in 2023 and approximately 92,945 units in 2024, according to data compiled by CnEVPost. The 300,000th D9 was delivered at a "Denza Night" event in Beijing in November 2025. The D9 also holds the record as the fastest new-energy MPV globally to reach that cumulative total, according to Denza. Chinese pricing spans from 339,800 CNY to 469,800 CNY for seven-seat variants, with the ultra-luxury four-seat Pioneer at 600,600 CNY.

In Australia, the D9 would compete against the Zeekr (HKG: 2015) 009 and LDV Mifa 9 in the premium electric people-mover space, as well as the Lexus LM hybrid at the ultra-luxury end. The dominant volume player, the Kia Carnival, accounts for more than 80 percent of new people-mover registrations in Australia, though a grey-import market for Toyota Alphard and Vellfire vehicles logged 599 unofficial entries in 2024 — a niche Denza insiders have explicitly referenced as a target.

Denza's Australian network is expected to reach 15 outlets before mid-2026, with a long-term target of 25–30 standalone showrooms. The brand has stated an ambition to challenge BMW and Mercedes-Benz in Australia's premium segment, following a path similar to the one its parent BYD has taken in the mainstream market — the latter becoming Australia's eighth-best-selling brand by the end of 2025.

Detailed specifications and pricing for an Australian D9 have yet to be announced, and Denza has not confirmed a launch date. Whether the first formal sighting Down Under translates into a showroom debut before year's end is a question the Melbourne streets seem to be answering ahead of the brand's own schedule.