Luxury vehicle: The Chinese automaker BYD’s new upmarket Yangwang brand has unveiled its third production car, which has a 1,000hp plus luxury saloon aimed at performance variants of Mercedes-Benz EQE, as per an Auto Car India report.

The upcoming luxury EV sedan will go on sale during the latter half of 2024 in China.

BYD's latest announcement of the new four-door is based on its e4 platform, consisting of the same structure that underpins the Yangwang U8 SUV and U9 supercar, it said.

BYD U7 look

The styling of the U7 adopts cues already seen on the U9, including C-shaped headlamp graphics, structured flanks and full-width taillights.

Officials from the Chinese manufacturer claim it will be among the most aerodynamically efficient cars to enter production, with a drag coefficient that betters the i5 and EQE, at 0.195Cd, it added.

The vehicle also family resemblance with BYD-branded models, including the India-bound Seal sedan, and accommodates wheels of up to 21-inch in diameter.

The auto major is expected to reveal the dimensions of the U7, which could stretch to up to 5,200mm in length and 2,000mm in width, the report mentioned.

BYD U7 technical details

Yangwang said that the U7 gets more than 1,000hp from four electric motors. Presently, whether the four-wheel-drive sedan will feature a range-extender powertrain, as used by the U8, or a pure-electric one like in the U9 is unknown.

The REx system of the U8 combines a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with four electric motors and a 49.1kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery and develops 1,195hp. The EV drivetrain used to power the U9 uses four electric motors in combination with a 100kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, and combined output is 1,114hp.

The company said the new Yangwang flagship will cost upwards of Rs 1.2 crore in China.

BYD's India presence

The brand currently sells the Atto3 SUV in the country market and retails the E6 MPV.

The Seal sedan, a Tesla Model 3 rival, is expected to hit the country this year.