BYD Just Built a 1,000-HP EV to Challenge the Tesla Model S Plaid
Chinese manufacturing giant BYD, through its Fang Cheng Bao luxury brand, unveiled the Formula SL at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show-a 1,000-horsepower electric sedan engineered to disrupt the market currently dominated by the likes of the Tesla Model S Plaid and Porsche Taycan.
Seriously Quick and Curiously Contemporary
Historically, the Fang Cheng Bao sub-brand built its reputation entirely on rugged, boxy off-roaders. The introduction of the 'Formula' sub-brand marks an aggressive, targeted pivot into ultra-luxury performance. While the carbon-fiber Formula X serves as the halo supercar, the Formula SL is the flagship of the brand's new executive sedan range.
On paper, the Formula SL is more than well enough equipped to take on the industry stalwarts, built on an advanced 800-volt electrical architecture, the SL uses a tri-motor AWD powertrain generating a shocking, yet par-for-the-course, 1,000 horsepower. With its 122.1-inch wheelbase and length over 196 inches, the Formula SL matches the physical footprint of the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and the Lucid Air.
The Formula SL does not rely solely on straight-line acceleration; handling dynamics are managed by BYD's proprietary DiSus-M magnetic ride control system to ensure cornering stability. Visually, the sedan abandons the brand's utilitarian roots for aerodynamic efficiency, featuring heavily sculpted profiles and 21-inch gold-finished alloy wheels.
Will We See it?
The vehicle is slated to arrive in Chinese dealerships in late 2026. While heavy protectionist tariffs currently block BYD passenger cars from US soil, the global market share of legacy Western automakers is under immediate siege. Porsche recently reported a brutal 21 percent first-quarter sales drop in China, directly attributing the loss to a highly competitive domestic EV price war. This comes during a broader industry-wide slowdown in Chinese auto due to the subsidies finally being partially rolled back.
The Formula SL is explicitly engineered to bring a sort of flair back to democratized EVs, delivering hypercar-level output and software integration at a price point that legacy luxury brands will struggle to match internationally.
The takeaway for the domestic auto industry is stark: the performance EV ceiling is rapidly rising, while the cost of entry is simultaneously dropping. Even if the Formula SL never legally wears a U.S. license plate, its existence forces Detroit and Stuttgart to radically accelerate their engineering timelines, or watch their international market dominance evaporate to overseas competitors.
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This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 6:00 PM.