Amid the dominance of luxury brands such as Rolls-Royce and Bentley, the Chinese automotive giant BYD is preparing to intensify competition. The company has introduced its new flagship electric sedan, the Yangwang Altior, which directly competes with ultra-luxury models like the Rolls-Royce Phantom.
This vehicle features magnificent design, a four-passenger configuration, advanced high-tech functions, and a claimed range exceeding 1000 kilometers. BYD showcased the Yangwang Altior during a global event in Abu Dhabi.
The Altior's design is inspired by the traditional Chinese bronze vessel 'Ding', which symbolizes strength, respect, and heritage in Chinese culture. The name Altior itself derives from the Latin word meaning 'high', and in China, it was named Dingyao.
The dimensions of the Yangwang Altior are 5600 mm in length, 2030 mm in width, and 1590 mm in height, with a wheelbase reaching 3500 mm. The car is presented in a two-tone scheme, where the hood and roof are painted in a dark color, and its long and majestic silhouette gives it a unique appearance reminiscent of Rolls-Royce.
The front end of the Altior has a stately design, and its large grille is inspired by jewelry design. It incorporates numerous small, shiny elements polished differently, with the company's signature Oracle script emblem placed in the center. The lighting system is also noteworthy: the headlights feature 12 elements that rotate and illuminate in a special way when approaching the car.
The side of the car is adorned with two unique design lines, 4.8 meters long, extending from the front fenders to the rear lights. Special attention has been paid to the doors: the rear doors open outwards, similar to Rolls-Royce, while the front doors can open up to 80 degrees and the rear doors up to 90 degrees, providing passengers with maximum space for entry and exit.
Both doors feature umbrella storage functionality, which also evokes associations with Rolls-Royce. The Altior is equipped with 21-inch alloy wheels available in three different designs, fitted with 275/45 tires. The thin rear LED lights are connected by a chrome strip.
The interior of the Yangwang Altior is compared to a room in a luxury hotel. The interior is finished in a two-tone beige and taupe color scheme. A large display panel occupies most of the dashboard. Expensive and exclusive materials have been used for the cabin's decoration, including full-grain semi-aniline leather, pure wool carpets, and natural wood trim. Furthermore, the car is equipped with switches made of real metal, whose durability was tested by developers using small hammers.
The car is designed for four passengers. The front passenger seat can be folded down to increase space for rear passengers. All doors operate via actuators. The rear seats are designed with a special Zero Gravity concept and are equipped with a mechanical massage system featuring four spherical heads. A one-click relaxation mode is also available: upon activation, the seat reclines, armrests rise, sunshades close, and the cabin's lighting, sound, and aroma are automatically adjusted to create a comfortable atmosphere.
Functionally, the Altior is equipped with multi-zone automatic climate control and two sunroofs. The music accompaniment is provided by a 39-speaker Dynaudio audio system. When the car starts, the tweeters rise upwards. Two wireless chargers are provided for rear passengers, a 21.4-inch controllable overhead screen, and a special central console with an screen-sharing function for conference calls.
The car also features refrigerators both in the front and rear; the rear refrigerator has a capacity of 5.5 liters and can both cool and keep warm. The total trunk volume is 532 liters. The Yangwang Altior is built on BYD's dedicated e4 platform, which includes four independent electric motors controlling each wheel. According to the company, this system can regulate the power delivered to each wheel over 100 times per second. This allows the car to maintain balance even if a tire suddenly bursts at high speed, although information on full power and torque has not yet been disclosed.
