IndiaAIFounders — Gallery: Tag along on our scenic road trip across Western Sichuan with BYD and Denza

BYD and Denza invited us to a road trip across Western Sichuan, China, to experience their cars while taking in the province’s lush scenery. If you’ve never been to China before, that would make both of us. Before this trip, I had never visited the country, so this was totally unfamiliar territory. If it’s both our first times, it’s only right that I take you along for the ride.

The trip spanned five days, excluding our arrival on the late evening of Sunday. The journey from Manila took a total of 11 hours, including some delays at the airport, a lengthy layover in Hong Kong, and a total of 4.5 hours in the air before arriving in Chengdu.

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

Day 1: Permits and pandas

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

On the morning of Day 1, the Philippine team headed to the Vehicle Management Office along with friends and colleagues from Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei, to get our temporary driver’s permits. The process was quick. I got my laminated permit in around 20 minutes. Not bad. We were told we’d only get to drive on a closed course throughout the trip, but I guess BYD and Denza just wanted to ensure everything was legal. Rightly so.

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After getting our permits, we were brought to the Chengdu Field Research Center for Giant Pandas, where we got to see... well, pandas. A total of 12 pandas lived there. That might not sound like a lot, but unlike other mammals, pandas have a difficult time increasing their population. The good thing is that there’s also a specialized conservation center for breeding within Chengdu, with an estimated 270 giant pandas.

We then headed to the hotel in Mount Qingcheng, where we were met with executives from BYD and Denza, who briefed us on some guidelines for the rest of the itinerary.

PHOTO BY BYD

Day 2: Meet the cars

PHOTO BY BYD

The second day is when we got to meet the cars. From Mount Qingcheng, we had a fleet of Denza models including the B5, B8, and Z9 GT, as well as the BYD Ti 7. It’s worth noting that the B5, B8, and Ti 7 are sold in China under the sub-brand Fangchengbao, in case you start wondering about the different logo on the SUVs.

On this leg of the trip, I rode in the B5. We drove a total of 300km en route to Hailuogou, with a pit stop along Highway 318, China’s longest national highway. As we set off for the open road, I immediately noticed the wide lanes, smooth asphalt, and scenic mountain passes. We even saw a few cars in full self-driving mode as indicated by their static blue lights.

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

We proceeded to Hailuogou, where we had lunch and then took a bus to the base of the Hailuogou Glacier Forest Park, and rode a cable car to the top to see the view. Unfortunately, the clouds were too thick to see the glaciers. Nevertheless, the cold air was a nice change of pace.

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

Day 3: Breathtaking scenery

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

This is where the real work starts. The third day is when we would get to test out the cars on the off-road test track—but first, we had to get there. The test track is within the Tagong Grasslands, around 300km from where we were, and about 4,000m above sea level—that’s higher than Mount Apo.

We set off in the BYD Ti 7, and as we drove up the mountain roads, we could feel the elevation get to us. The view was breathtaking. Literally. As the air got thinner, I took a hit from one of the oxygen cans provided in every car to ease my nausea. The headache, elevated heart rate, and slightly labored breathing were all to be expected when acclimating to high elevation. I started to understand why they highly encouraged us to breathe deeply and walk slowly.

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

We made our way into the grasslands before arriving at the BYD Camp. After taking in the view of endless mountains, we had lunch and prepped for our driver’s briefing. The track was simple. We would all have a turn at the BYD Shark 6 and Denza B5 on a designated off-road track, while the Denza B8 and BYD Ti 7 would be next on some faster sections of gravel road.

For the Shark 6 and B5, we were encouraged to drive “gentlemanly,” following the ruts, and going through the track at a slow pace to avoid unnecessarily damaging the flora and fauna. I drove the Shark 6 first, and it handled as expected. The steering was light, and despite the road tires, it didn’t feel like it was slipping on the muddier sections. The B5, meanwhile, handled bumps more smoothly. While the SUV’s on-road comfort left me wanting more plushness, on the dirt, it showed me what the off-road-tuned suspension was designed for.

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

Next, came the B8 and Ti 7. The latter is an SUV that demanded our interest because it was coming to the Philippines. Unlike the body-on-frame B8, the Ti 7 uses a unibody construction and is branded as a city SUV. It did, however, surprise me on the rally-like off-road track. For a more in-depth look, you can read my first impressions on the Ti 7 here. But basically, its DiSus-C suspension performed well, and I’m excited for the SUV to arrive on our shores with a local price tag.

On to the B8. The luxury SUV held its own on the fast-paced gravel, but I did notice some inconsistencies. For example, it would handle most of the track very smoothly, but there were some parts where it bounced rapidly like a basketball being dribbled low to the floor. It seemed like the suspension was confused at times. I don’t know what driving mode we were in, as all the characters were in Mandarin. But while the Ti 7 was a little bouncier, it was more consistent with the bumps compared to the B8, at least on this specific test track.

Upon heading back to base camp, it began to rain. We quickly filmed some content and prepared to head to the hotel to warm up.

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

Day 4: Recharge

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

On the fourth day, we were set to head back to Chengdu. But first, we stopped by Yaan to visit one of the BYD Flash Charging Stations. The brand held a demo of the Flash Chargers using a Denza Z9 GT with around 30% battery life. To showcase the charging speed, immediately after the Z9 was plugged in, BYD’s Liu Xueliang started heating water to make pour-over coffee. After the last drop of coffee was poured, the Z9 had charged to 97% in just seven minutes.

As mentioned before, the Flash Chargers are expected to arrive in the Philippines by 2027. So, it won’t be long until we can experience this kind of charging speed back home. However, I also need to note that while these stations can accommodate any car with a CCS2 port, the Flash Charging feature is only available for BYD Blade Batteries 2.0. That includes the incoming Denza Z9 GT and BYD Ti 7.

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

PHOTO BY BYD

Day 5: End of the road

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

The rest of Day 4 was spent heading back to Chengdu. We encountered heavy traffic nearing the city as most people were heading home from work and school. In addition, the Mid-Autumn Festival was happening the next day, so there were even more cars headed into Chengdu to celebrate.

We woke up before sunrise on Day 5 to head to the airport. We were back on the bus. The cars were gone. Sorting through my photos, I couldn’t help but realize that we logged over 1,000km during our three days with the cars, getting to drive them for one day, and only for a few minutes at a time. The main purpose of this trip wasn’t to drive. For those of us coming from the Philippines, perhaps it was to see the Flash Chargers and the Ti 7. But more than that, I think it was to understand where the brand is coming from.

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

All the cars traveled more than 1,000km with only one charging stop. They were comfortable, no doubt. And they also held their own on the rough bit of off-road track, something we’re more accustomed to. Perhaps BYD and Denza wanted to show what long-distance travel in an electrified vehicle is like. With the expansion of charging infrastructure in the Philippines and upcoming long-range vehicles like the Ti 7 and Z9 GT, maybe this trip was a preview of the next scenic road trip with BYD and Denza, this time on our home soil.

More photos from the Western Sichuan road trip with BYD and Denza:

PHOTO BY Lije Martin

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