Gasgoo Munich- On April 24, BYD's Dynasty Series opened pre-orders for its first D-segment full-size flagship SUV: the Datang EV. Just 13 days later, cumulative orders had topped 100,000 units. It racked up 30,000 orders in 24 hours alone, crashing into the "100,000-unit Club" within two weeks.
Officials also hinted that a plug-in hybrid version isn't off the table. In the niche market for full-size electric SUVs, these numbers are nothing short of explosive.
What Makes the Datang EV Tick?
Size is the Datang EV's most obvious calling card. Measuring 5,263mm long (5,302mm with options), 1,999mm wide, and with a 3,130mm wheelbase, it is a standard D-segment SUV. But the real highlight is interior space efficiency: official figures put cabin utilization at 89.3%, offering 6.34 square meters of usable floor space and a second-row aisle width of 201mm.
Image Source: BYD
The cabin uses a 2+2+3 layout, featuring dual zero-gravity seats in the front and dual "zero-pressure" aviation seats in the second row with backrests reclining up to 146° and 70° electric leg rests. Third-row legroom measures 880mm, complete with independent air vents, USB ports, and cup holders. Even with all seats occupied, the cargo area holds ten 20-inch carry-on bags; the frunk offers 252 liters, while the trunk provides 780 liters.
The electric powertrain is the real powerhouse here. The Datang EV comes standard with a second-generation Blade Battery. The rear-wheel-drive version boasts a CLTC range of up to 950 kilometers—a global record for full-size electric SUVs. It utilizes lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) composite cathodes and silicon-carbon anodes, achieving a system energy density of 190–210 Wh/kg. It is the first in the world to feature 10C flash charging, supported by a 1,000-volt architecture and 1,000-amp current. With peak power hitting 1,000 kW, it can charge from 10% to 70% in five minutes at room temperature, and reach 97% in nine.
Self-developed and self-produced, the Blade Battery costs between 600 and 700 yuan per kWh—far below the industry average of 1,000 yuan. That cost advantage is the key logic behind fitting such a massive battery into a vehicle priced around 250,000 yuan.
On the performance front, buyers can choose between single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive. The dual-motor version delivers a combined output of 585 kW (roughly 795 horsepower), sprinting from zero to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. The chassis features the DiSus-A intelligent dual-cavity air suspension and road preview technology. Notably, it is the first in the Dynasty series to feature rear-wheel steering—with a maximum angle of 14° paired with a 41.99° front angle, the turning radius shrinks to just 5.2 meters. Combined with a crab-walk mode, this 5.2-meter behemoth becomes remarkably agile in urban environments.
For intelligence, the entire lineup comes standard with the "God's Eye (Tianshen Zhiyan) 5.0" advanced driver-assistance system. Built on an end-to-end large model, it handles highway cruising, city traffic jams, and tight parking spots. The smart cabin integrates large AI models like Doubao and Tongyi Qwen for multi-scene, natural-language interaction. With a 2.53-square-meter panoramic roof and a 27-speaker Devialet sound system, the comfort specifications are fully loaded.
Image Source: BYD
Behind 100,000-Unit Orders: It's Not Just a Price War
With a pre-sale price range of 250,000 to 320,000 yuan and three range options, the Datang EV drags the entry point for full-size SUVs—those over 5.2 meters long—down into the 250,000-yuan bracket. That's nearly half the price of rivals like the Li L9 or AITO M9, yet its electric powertrain hardware matches or even exceeds theirs.
In 2025, total sales of six- and seven-seat SUVs in China surpassed 1.5 million units, a 42% year-on-year increase, with new energy models accounting for 47% of the segment. Yet in the 250,000 yuan to 350,000 yuan price bracket, there hadn't been a single true full-size electric seven-seater. Below 250,000 yuan, decent seven-seat EVs were scarce; above 350,000 yuan, only offerings like the NIO ES8 and AITO M9 existed.
The Datang EV's 250,000 to 320,000 yuan pricing slots perfectly into this void. It isn't that consumers didn't want full-size electric SUVs; it's that no one had been willing to deliver a genuine full-size product at this price point before.
The ability to price the Datang at 250,000 yuan while packing in a massive 135 kWh battery stems from vertical integration across the entire supply chain. BYD's battery self-sufficiency rate is 95%, and over 90% of core components are self-developed, bringing manufacturing costs 22% below the industry average.
Image Source: BYD
Blade Battery costs are 30% to 40% lower than the industry norm; with annual sales exceeding 4.6 million units in 2025, economies of scale are further driving down expenses. This cost control isn't merely about a price war—it reflects a structural advantage in the industry.
The six-figure order count isn't just about the product itself; it is backed by BYD's hard-earned reputation for battery safety, a mature service network, and a massive user base. That trust gives consumers the confidence to place orders before even seeing the car in person. Still, the real tests remain: converting pre-orders into actual deliveries, ramping up production capacity, and handling the strain on after-sales service.
Officials have explicitly stated that a plug-in hybrid version is not off the table. Previous reports suggest the PHEV variant will feature a 1.5T efficient hybrid engine with both DM-i and DM-p options. This would target users with high-range requirements—another gap in the 250,000 to 350,000 yuan bracket where no full-size hybrid SUV currently exists. If the hybrid version maintains the same aggressive pricing strategy, the competitiveness of the entire Datang EV lineup will rise to another level.
From its debut at the Auto China 2026 to smashing 100,000-unit orders in 13 days, the Datang EV's surge is no accident. It achieved two things at once: maximizing technology while minimizing price. The 250,000 to 320,000 yuan pricing shifts family buyers from "wanting to buy" to "being able to afford it"—and that is the fundamental logic behind those six-figure orders.
But the real challenges lie ahead: converting orders into deliveries, scaling production, and handling service pressure will determine whether the "Great Tang" dynasty can keep its market promises. Meanwhile, a new wave of full-size SUVs, represented by the Leapmotor D19, is entering the fray. The disruption caused by the Datang EV is about to force a reshuffle of the entire segment.
