BYD is testing an ultra-luxury electric sedan in China internally known temporarily as “HU,” and intends to position it as the highest-end model in the Yangwang brand. The company says the car represents the culmination of three years of development, while local reports indicate that it could be BYD’s first electric car to use solid-state batteries.
BYD has not disclosed the final name or full specifications, but images published by Hu Xiaoqing, Yangwang’s general manager, showed a design resembling Rolls-Royce Phantom cars, with rear doors that open against the direction of travel—the first use of this type of door in BYD cars. The car is approximately 5.5 meters long, placing it within the size range of the Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class.
What do we know about the technology?
Zheng Yu, Yangwang’s general manager, confirmed that the car will include “unprecedented revolutionary technology,” without specifying what it is. One image shows the car at a BYD Flash Charging station, suggesting that it may support ultra-fast charging at megawatt power levels, but the company has not officially confirmed this capability.
According to Autohome, the car will be BYD’s first electric model equipped with solid-state batteries. It is also expected to use the e4 platform with four motors, which could provide total output exceeding 1,000 horsepower. These points are still based on reports or expectations and are not final specifications announced by the company.
Why does this news matter?
The project is significant because it places solid-state batteries inside a high-priced luxury car, a category that can accommodate limited and expensive production technologies before they move to more widely distributed models. Stella Li, BYD’s executive vice president, said that the company is in an advanced position in developing and commercializing these batteries, and that the first car equipped with them will appear in 2027.
FinDreams, BYD’s battery division, is working on producing limited batches of sulfide-based solid-state batteries in 2027, with mass production targeted by 2030. Therefore, the appearance of this technology in a Yangwang car does not yet mean that production has reached a broad scale or that all versions of the car will use it.
Expected price and timing
BYD has not announced the price or operating details. Estimates suggest that the price could exceed two million yuan, or approximately $300,000, compared with a starting price of 658,000 yuan, or about $98,000, for the current Yangwang U7. The company is expected to officially unveil the car in October 2026.
If the use of solid-state batteries is confirmed, it will likely be limited to the highest-priced versions, while standard models may use the latest Blade batteries with LFP technology. This point, along with the car’s range, charging speed, and production details, remains an open question until the official announcement.