Partner companies Daimler and BYD Auto may very well succeed in their goal to create what they claim to be “the safest and most reliable electric vehicle designed and engineered in China, for China ” with the new Denza EV, but when it comes to looks, well, it just feels awkward – to put it mildly.

These pictures of the first production car of the Denza brand that was caught without any camouflage on the road, surfaced online about a month before the battery-powered hatch (of sorts) officially breaks cover at the Auto China 2014 in Beijing this April.

Official technical details on the EV remain scarce, though; reports from China mention a 117-horsepower electric motor and a driving range of up to 250km (155 miles).

Mercedes’ parent company has said that the first Denza dealership will open its doors in Beijing this summer, with further showrooms to be built in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

By John Halas

Story References: Autohome

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