This is the BYD aiming to compete with Rolls-Royce: details of the Yangwang Altior, a luxury sedan with solid-state batteries, have leaked.

The Yangwang Altior, the luxury sedan that BYD aims to use to compete with Bentley, Mercedes-Maybach, and Rolls-Royce, will be unveiled in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) on November 8th. Previously, it was reported that its debut would take place in Dubai; however, the country’s capital was ultimately chosen as the venue for its reveal.

On another note, the vehicle has been spotted for the first time without camouflage. It was already known to be a large sedan with straight lines; now, details such as the front lighting units can be seen more clearly, which, like those on the U8, are inspired by the silhouette of a ding, a vessel used in ancient Chinese rituals.

The enormous rectangular grille, the very wide chrome C-pillar, and the rear doors that open in the opposite direction are also worth highlighting. The tires and rear fins somewhat resemble those of some Mercedes-Benz models, though the Yangwang Altior has enough unique features to set it apart from its main competitors.

As expected, it also features a LiDAR on the roof. This is one of the sensors that support the advanced driving assistant God's Eye, which integrates the NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) functions for both urban and highway driving. It’s interesting to note that BYD has confirmed its intention to deploy this system in Europe.

BYD’s flagship vehicle will have two names

It is currently unknown whether the Yangwang Altior will be electric, plug-in hybrid, or offer both options. What we can be certain of is that, like the rest of the luxury brand’s models, it will feature a propulsion system consisting of four electric motors, giving it performance far superior to other sedans of similar size. Of course, it will also be equipped with an intelligent suspension from the DiSus family.

Hu Xiaoqing, the general manager of the Yangwang brand, recently confirmed that the vehicle will have two commercial names: it will be called Dingyao in China, while it will be marketed under the name Altior overseas. Altior comes from Latin and means “higher.” Zheng Yu, Yangwang’s deputy general manager, states that the new model will feature “unprecedented disruptive technology.”

Rumors suggest it could be BYD’s first electric vehicle equipped with solid-state batteries. BYD’s executive vice president, Stella Li, confirmed that this technology will arrive next year; however, initial production will be limited, which is why the company decided to introduce it in a luxury model like the one discussed here.

Source | CarNewsChina