BYD's luxury off-road range-extender EV gets stretched
BYD's luxury subsidiary Yangwang has revealed the U8L extended wheelbase luxury 4WD at this week's Shanghai motor show, set to rival long-wheelbase versions of the
Range Rover
and
Bentley Bentayga
.
Shown in a distinctive two-tone black and gold paint finish and rolling on massive 23-inch monobloc-style forged alloy wheels, the Yangwang U8L is described as a 'full-size executive luxury SUV'.
It measures 5400mm long, 2049mm wide and 1921mm tall with a 3250mm wheelbase. For reference,
the 'standard' U8
is 5319mm long, 2050mm wide and 1930mm tall, with a 3050mm wheelbase according to official specs.
Going by the supplied specifications, it appears that Yangwang has extended the wheelbase without really increasing the overall vehicle length, which is a little unusual. Part of that could be down to the fact the U8L doesn't mount a spare wheel on the tailgate like the regular U8.
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.
By comparison, the Range Rover Long Wheelbase measures 5252/2047/1870mm with a 3197mm wheelbase; while the Bentley Bentayga EWB is 5305/2010/1739mm with a 3175mm wheelbase. Only the
Rolls-Royce Cullinan
outdoes the U8L in the wheelbase dimension, measuring 5355/2000/1835mm with a 3295mm wheelbase.
BYD's premium arm doesn't detail much else about its new flagship SUV, other than the aforementioned new Obsidian Black over Sun Gold exterior finish, 24-carat gold badging and 23-inch forged alloys.
Yangwang hasn't revealed any images of the interior yet either, meaning we also don't know how that extra 200mm of wheelbase translates to more rear passenger room, nor whether the second row will get unique features typical of LWB luxury flagships like reclining captain's chairs or larger entertainment displays – though it's rumoured to offer a three-row layout.
While the powertrain hasn't been confirmed, it's understood the U8L will draw upon the U8's extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) drivetrain, which teams a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a 49.05kWh LFP Blade battery and no less than four electric motors.
System outputs for the standard U8 are a whopping 880kW and 1280Nm, good for a 0-100km/h sprint of just 3.6 seconds, while top speed is electronically limited to 200km/h.
The U8's EV-only range is capped at 180km, although the U8 can travel 1000km between fuel stops courtesy of a 75-litre fuel tank – expect the U8L's claims to be a little lower than the standard model given the extra size.
The U8 supports 110kW DC fast charging, and can also power household appliances using its 6kW vehicle-to-load (V2L) capacity.
In standard form the U8 has a maximum wading depth of 1000mm, while the Master Edition ups that to 1400mm and features a snorkel.
Despite its 3460kg heft, Yangwang says that the U8 can remain afloat for up to 30 minutes in deep water, protecting occupants during river crossings or flash floods.
Inside, features include Nappa leather upholstery and six screens, including a 23.6-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.8-inch infotainment display and a 23.6-inch screen for the front passenger.
Each rear passenger also has access to an entertainment display. In addition to the screen-fest, the U8 comes equipped with a 70-inch head-up display and a 22-speaker Dynaudio sound system.
In addition to aforementioned rivals to legacy luxury brands, the Yangwang U8L could also have some serious competition in its own backyard.
Earlier this week the
new Zeekr 9X
was revealed at Auto Shanghai 2025, powered by a similarly complex 2.0-litre turbocharged extended-range hybrid system.
A 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 205kW of power features under the bonnet, mated with a 290kW front electric motor and a 370kW rear electric motor.
Zeekr hasn't released full specifications for the big luxury SUV, but has confirmed it'll have an electric range of more than 380km thanks to a 'Xiaoyao' battery from CATL.
The 9X has a 900V electrical system and 6C charging, and Zeekr claims it can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in just nine minutes. It also has a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 'just three seconds'.
Stay tuned to CarExpert for all the latest out of the 2025 Shanghai motor show
MORE:
BYD's luxury Range Rover rival still some way off from Australian launch
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And he accepted that Elon Musk's involvement in Trumpian politics may have tainted the brand. "We all understand there's a reputational aspect, and I think that has had an effect on the brand," he said. The couple drive the BYD to Sydney and back, with a short charging stop off in Pheasants Nest, just short of Sydney - one charge gets them there and back. If they were to buy a third car after their BYD and the Tesla, he would go for another Chinese car: the XPeng G6 is very similar to the Tesla Model Y - but cheaper. But there's no doubt either that Mr Musk's association with Mr Trump has tainted the Tesla brand in some "progressive" circles. One Canberra Tesla owner said earlier that she was embarrassed when she drove around. She avoided parking her cobalt blue Tesla too close to other cars in case the paintwork was keyed. "It's a weird combination of embarrassment and rage," Diana Streak said. 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"The amount of crap that's going on is insane," the Canberra-based Tesla fan said. "I bought the car because it's a great car." Sales of Teslas in Australia have dropped dramatically in the wake of the Trump-Musk bromance. Figures just out show the brand's sales in Australia this year so far are half what they were for the same five months of 2024. The dive in sales came as Elon Musk, the creator of Tesla, became more controversial because of his scorched-earth aid to the American president. In Canberra, often seen as a torch-bearer for electric vehicles, new figures show the Chinese brand BYD gaining ground rapidly. In the first five months of this year, it sold 490 cars in the ACT - a rate of three sales a day, well up on last year. Tesla doesn't publish its sales numbers for the ACT but registrations with the government indicated a fall. 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Its managing director in Australia, Scott Maynard, thought the big need now was for far more charging stations in Australia beyond the current 2,500: "Crucial to the adoption of electric vehicles is the roll-out of charging infrastructure," he said. And he accepted that politics may have tainted Tesla. "I think the brand has unfortunately been caught up in the politics of Elon Musk." There may be other factors as well, though. Richard and Dianne Czurnak are a two-car family: he drives a Tesla and she drives a BYD Dolphin. They bought the Tesla nearly three years ago when, as he put it, "There was a lot less available on the market." But then the BYD appeared, with more Chinese brands following. "The Chinese brands all becoming very competitive in price," Mr Czumak said. He also felt that Tesla hadn't really developed new models at the pace the competition has. "It has stayed basically the same, with refreshers and upgrades." 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She accepted that "it's a fantastic car", but didn't like its association with a politics she reviles. Her friends teased her about it. Since then, Mr Musk has withdrawn as an active wielder of the chainsaw on the American public service. He and Mr Trump haven't fallen out, or not yet at least - though the businessman has called Mr Trump's tax plans "a disgusting abomination", and Mr Trump isn't the sort to take such insults calmly. But the earlier apparent warm friendship - or bromance - turned the Tesla brand toxic in the eyes of some former fans: "swasticars" was the common jibe. Bumper stickers appeared saying: "I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy" and "Bought it before we knew how awful he is". Some said the car and the man were different - Mr Musk does not own a controlling share in Tesla. "Tesla is not Musk," Ross Hetherington, the vice president of the Tesla Owners Club of Australia said. "The amount of crap that's going on is insane," the Canberra-based Tesla fan said. "I bought the car because it's a great car."
