[Digital Today reporter Jinju Hong] Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD is expected to unveil an ultra-luxury electric sedan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in early November. The new flagship model from BYD's top-end brand Yangwang could adopt unconventional technologies, including a solid-state battery and rear-hinged coach doors. The expected price is about $300,000 (about 400 million won), raising attention on whether BYD can move beyond mass-market EVs into the ultra-luxury segment.

Electrek, an EV outlet, reported on Oct. 26 that Yangwang chose the UAE, rather than China, for the global unveiling of its new flagship sedan. While the exact date has not been announced, Chinese auto outlet CarNewsChina cited a project source as saying it could be unveiled in Dubai around Nov. 5.

The new car is expected to be a symbolic model for BYD's premium-car strategy. Yangwang is a sub-brand at the top of BYD's brand structure and has sought differentiation with high-performance EV technology and body control systems. Its signature technologies, the four-motor-based e4 platform and the Disus-X body control system, enable various movements such as rotating in place, moving the body and driving with only some wheels.

The new sedan is also expected to stand apart from existing BYD models in size and design. Yangwang General Manager Hu Xiaoqing (후 샤오칭) last month released photos of a test vehicle during a trial drive. Details are hard to confirm due to camouflage, but assessments say its proportions recall ultra-luxury sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class or Rolls-Royce Phantom. Locally, the overall length is estimated to reach about 5,500 mm.

A key technical difference being discussed is the possible use of a solid-state battery. Yangwang Executive General Manager Zheng Yu (정위) said the new car would apply "unprecedented disruptive technology", but did not disclose detailed specifications. BYD has also not officially confirmed whether a solid-state battery will be used.

Even so, BYD's battery development timeline is drawing attention to the outlook. Stella Li, BYD's executive vice president, said in an interview with Cawawe Eswa last month that BYD's first solid-state battery vehicle is scheduled to come out in 2027. She stressed that BYD holds a leading position in solid-state battery technology and commercialisation and indicated it would prove that next year.

BYD's battery affiliate FinDreams plans to begin producing sulfide-based solid-state batteries in 2027. It plans to focus on small-volume production initially and expand mass production as it gets closer to the 2030s. That has led to speculation that the new flagship sedan could showcase solid-state battery technology, but whether it is actually fitted must be confirmed through an official announcement.

Charging performance is also in focus. After the test vehicle was spotted at BYD's flash charging station, speculation emerged that it could support megawatt-class ultra-fast charging. Specific performance, including charging output and charging time, has not been disclosed. It is also not yet confirmed whether rear-hinged coach doors will be applied to the mass-produced model.

The price is expected to be set far above Yangwang's existing lineup. Locally, there is an outlook that the new car's starting price could be in the 2 million yuan range, or about $300,000. Yangwang's all-electric sedan U7 is sold from 658,000 yuan, and its lineup also includes the plug-in hybrid luxury off-roader U8 and U8L and the all-electric super coupe U9. The U8L starts at 1.45 million yuan.

If the new sedan is priced as expected, it would enter a price bracket higher than existing Yangwang models. This can be interpreted as an attempt by BYD to win recognition for its technology and brand value in the ultra-luxury car market beyond being a mass-market EV maker built on price competitiveness.

Key specifications, including a solid-state battery, megawatt-class charging and coach doors, have not yet been confirmed. If the unveiling takes place in early November, the actual battery technology, performance and price are expected to be key benchmarks for gauging BYD's ultra-luxury EV strategy.