- BYD’s new Great Han sedan makes 764 hp from two electric motors.
- A range-focused rear-drive version gets up to 626 miles per charge.
- A plug-in hybrid version with a 1.5-liter engine is also coming.
BYD has added another sedan to its lineup, the Great Han, the newest member of the company’s Dynasty series. It looks sharp, and more to the point, it carries enough power to embarrass a few cars wearing supercar badges. On paper, at least.
The Chinese automaker will sell the Great Han as both a battery-electric and a plug-in hybrid. The name doesn’t do it any favors, but the hardware underneath makes up for it. The base EV runs a single 496 hp (370 kW) motor on the rear axle and tops out at 149 mph (240 km/h). Buyers who want more can step up to a dual-motor version that adds a 268 hp (200 kW) motor up front, for a combined 764 hp (570 kW). That’s more than a McLaren 750S, which makes 740 hp (551 kW).
Read: Europe’s Small Hatches Stuck With Mild Hybrids, BYD Brings 621 Miles And A Plug
Admittedly, the BYD carries some bulk, 2,505 kg (5,522 lbs), so it isn’t about to run with the McLaren in any real-world sense. The point isn’t the matchup. It’s the reminder that the EVs leaving China have reached genuinely absurd output figures. The range numbers back that up, with BYD claiming 626 miles (1,008 km) for the rear-drive car and 547 miles (880 km) for the all-wheel-drive version.
A PHEV, Too
As for the plug-in hybrid model, it will be equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with 154 hp (115 kW) and a 268 hp (200 kW) electric motor. This version is obviously more focused on efficiency than on performance, rocking a large 54.4 kWh battery and delivering an all-electric driving range of 230 miles (370 km). All three options are expected to use BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery, supporting the company’s 1,500 kW Fast Charging technology.
Visually, the Great Han looks similar to the cheaper, smaller Han but has an even sleeker design. It’s seriously big, too, measuring in at 206.9 inches (5,256 mm) long, 78.7 inches (1,999 mm) wide, and sitting 59.4 inches (1,510 mm) tall with a 123.2-inch (3,130 mm) wheelbase. The front end, while not especially distinctive, is quite striking thanks to sleek LED headlights and a shapely bumper.
Sales of the new BYD Great Han will start this year, although pricing details have yet to be confirmed.
