BYD's Yangwang Unveils Flagship Altior Sedan and Sets EV Speed Record
BYD's luxury brand Yangwang unveiled its flagship Altior sedan in Abu Dhabi to challenge European ultra-luxury carmakers. Concurrently, its U9 Xtreme electric supercar achieved a one-way top speed of 503.17 km/h in the UAE.
Yangwang, the luxury brand of Chinese automotive giant BYD, has officially unveiled its flagship ultra-luxury sedan, the Altior, at a global launch event in Abu Dhabi. The vehicle is positioned to directly challenge established European ultra-luxury brands such as Rolls-Royce and Bentley in the lucrative Persian Gulf market.
Design and Advanced Engineering
Developed over three years, the Altior measures 5.6 meters in length, 2.03 meters in width, and 1.59 meters in height, featuring a 3.5-meter wheelbase that makes it 201 millimeters longer than a Rolls-Royce Ghost. The exterior styling draws inspiration from the Chinese ancient ceremonial vessel "Ding", highlighted by a front grille featuring 137 polished diamonds, a 24-karat gold hood ornament, and a 4.8-meter hand-painted coachline.
The sedan features suicide doors inspired by British luxury motorcars, with front doors opening at an 80-degree angle and rear doors opening at 90 degrees. Beneath the exterior, the Altior is built on BYD's advanced e4 platform, integrating four independent electric motors—one for each wheel. This architecture enables advanced capabilities such as on-spot tank turns, crab walking, and dynamic stabilization in the event of a tire blowout.
Performance and Limited Edition
While official powertrain details remain concise, the vehicle delivers an impressive CLTC-certified electric range exceeding 1,000 kilometers and supports ultra-fast megawatt-level charging capable of replenishing the battery from 10% to 70% in approximately five minutes. Initially, the Altior will be offered exclusively in a four-seater configuration under the limited-edition 'Shan-He Dingyun' series, restricted to 399 units worldwide. In China, pre-orders require a 300,000 yuan deposit against an expected price tag of around 2.08 million yuan.
Yangwang U9 Xtreme Sets Speed Records
Alongside the Altior debut, Yangwang announced that its U9 Xtreme electric supercar shattered the 500 km/h threshold during high-speed runs in Abu Dhabi. Driven by German racing driver Marc Basseng on the E11 highway, the vehicle achieved a verified top speed of 503.17 km/h on November 1, earning official recognition from Guinness World Records for the highest one-way speed achieved by a production car and an electric production car.
Industry experts note that because the record was established during a one-way run rather than the traditional two-way average required to neutralize wind and elevation variables, the official world record for a two-way production car remains held by the American SSC Tuatara at 455.3 km/h. Meanwhile, Rimac previously held the EV top speed benchmark at 412 km/h. Yangwang's achievement underscores the accelerating technological ambitions of Chinese manufacturers in the global high-performance automotive sector.
