BYD Readies Rolls-Royce-Style Flagship Electric Sedan for Launch in the UAE

BYD is preparing to introduce a new ultra-luxury electric sedan that will debut outside its home market. Yangwang general manager Hu Xiaoqing confirmed this week that the car's global launch will take place in the United Arab Emirates rather than in China. BYD has not yet given a specific launch date.

The model is set to be the company's largest and most luxurious electric sedan, with a shape comparable to the Rolls-Royce Phantom. It is aimed at ultra-luxury marques such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Mercedes-Maybach, a notable step for a company best known for affordable vehicles like the Seagull, a small hatchback that sells for under $10,000 in China.

BYD has broadened its lineup considerably in recent months and years. It now sells everything from entry-level EVs to three-row flagship SUVs, pickup trucks and electric supercars. Its structure includes three sub-brands, Denza, FangChengBao and Yangwang, alongside the Dynasty and Ocean families under the BYD name itself.

Yangwang sits at the top of that hierarchy and serves as a showcase for the company's newest technologies. Earlier Yangwang models used BYD's quad-motor e4 platform, which delivers 1,300 horsepower, and the DiSus-X intelligent body control system, which lets a vehicle "dance," jump and drive on three wheels.

Hu released several images of the new executive sedan undergoing testing last month. Though the car was disguised, it appeared to match the Maybach S-Class or Rolls-Royce Phantom in shape and size, and local reports put its length at around 5,500 mm (216 inches). Zheng Yu, Yangwang's executive general manager, said it will feature "unprecedented disruptive technology" but gave no specifics.

Some details can be inferred. The sedan was displayed at BYD's Flash Charging station, which suggests support for megawatt flash charging. It also has rear-hinged coach doors, a first for BYD, and is reportedly the first model to use the company's solid-state batteries. Executive vice president Stella Li told Carwow.es last month that BYD's first solid-state battery vehicle would debut in 2027.

The sedan is expected to make its official debut this month. Rumored pricing starts in the 2 million yuan range, or about $300,000.

That would place it well above Yangwang's current offerings. The U7 electric sedan starts at 658,000 yuan ($98,000), while the lineup also includes the U8 and U8L plug-in hybrid luxury off-road SUVs and the U9 electric super-coupe. The extended U8L is the brand's highest-priced mass-produced vehicle, starting at 1.45 million yuan ($217,000).