Yangwang, BYD's luxury car brand, has just released the first images of its upcoming flagship sedan. The vehicle features styling reminiscent of the Rolls-Royce Phantom series, particularly the coach door design, a first for a BYD product.

Previously, this sedan, along with a luxury SUV line – rumored to be a rival to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan – was spotted undergoing road tests at BYD's factory complex. This marks the first official confirmation from BYD and Yangwang regarding the new sedan development project. Notably, it is highly likely to be BYD's first vehicle to incorporate solid-state battery technology.

BYD's flagship sedan undergoing road tests, heavily camouflaged. Photo: SugarDesign

Exterior

The front fascia continues to adhere to Yangwang's distinctive design philosophy, sharing similarities with the U8 and U8L SUV models. The multi-tiered LED lighting cluster integrates the embossed Yangwang logo within.

The vehicle's overall silhouette remains consistent with previous images, although the rear taillight strip is now more heavily concealed. The placement of the door handles confirms the presence of coach doors.

As interior images are not yet available, it remains unclear whether this sedan will utilize a B-pillar-less chassis structure to optimize entry and exit space. Yangwang may equip the vehicle with an automatic power door system, a common feature on high-end new energy vehicles in China.

The roof-mounted lidar sensor cluster remains unchanged, but a vehicle in this price range is expected to feature additional lidar sensors on the sides to assist driving. As BYD's most premium product, the car promises to integrate the DiPilot 600 intelligent driving assistance system (also known as God's Eye in the domestic market).

The door handle placement indicates Rolls-Royce-style coach doors. Photo: SugarDesign

Pioneering solid-state battery application

Sources from China indicate that the new sedan will be BYD's first product to commercialize solid-state batteries. Ms. Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD, previously shared plans to launch solid-state battery-equipped vehicles in 2027.

Given its flagship status and premium price point, this sedan is the most suitable product to introduce BYD's new battery technology. A previous photo showed the car parked at a hyper-fast charging station, implicitly confirming that the new battery pack will support megawatt-level charging technology.

Yangwang's product lines serve as "technology demonstration platforms" for BYD, according to CarNewsChina. The U8 SUV was the first vehicle to use the e4 quad-motor platform, while the U9 Xtreme is preparing to achieve a speed milestone of 500 km/h in November.

The race to develop solid-state batteries is intensifying among Chinese battery and automotive manufacturers. Most entities aim for pilot production in 2027 before proceeding to limited-scale testing on commercial vehicles.

For Yangwang's new sedan line, solid-state battery versions may be available in limited quantities and at a premium price. Meanwhile, standard versions utilizing LFP Blade 2.0 batteries will be sold concurrently at a more accessible price point.

This strategy aligns with BYD's commercialization roadmap. Lian Yubo, an expert from the group, previously stated that liquid lithium-ion batteries and solid-state battery systems will coexist for the next 15-20 years.

My Anh