Inside BYD’s new luxury car powered by solid-state EV batteries

What happened

For luxury electric cars, longer range often comes with a familiar compromise: a bigger battery adds weight. The difference begins with the electrolyte, which allows lithium ions to move between electrodes during charging and discharging.

BYD’s upcoming Yangwang executive sedan brings that possibility into the ultra-luxury conversation. Spotted testing in China, the roughly 5.5-meter (about 18 feet) vehicle combines coach doors and imposing proportions with reports that it could carry solid-state batteries.

While its appearance draws comparisons with the Rolls-Royce Phantom, the battery question connects it to a broader development effort. BMW and Mercedes-Benz are already using electric sedans to investigate how advanced cells perform beyond the laboratory.