The BYD Song Ultra arrives with laser eyes and a folding bed

BYD finally revealed the production version of the Song Ultra EV. We have seen drawings and camouflaged test cars for months, and now the real thing is finally here. This new SUV is a big step forward for the brand, especially when it comes to technology that helps the car drive itself.

One of the first things people noticed during the reveal was a missing small bump on the roof. That is a LiDAR sensor - the first time a vehicle in the Song family has used this technology. The laser sensor is essentially the car's high-tech eyes. This hardware runs on the "God's Eye" B system, which uses a computer that can perform 300 trillion operations per second - that's a lot of math just to make sure you stay in your lane. This system helps the BYD Song Ultra EV navigate through busy city streets and long highways with very little help from the driver.

To make sure the car sees everything, BYD added high-definition cameras to the front fenders and the side mirrors. This gives the vehicle a full 360-degree view of its surroundings. Since the car now watches the road, the people inside get plenty of toys to play with. The cabin features a massive 15.6-inch central screen. If you do not like the way it looks, you can rotate it. There is also a 10.25-inch screen right in front of the driver to show speed and battery levels.

The BYD Song Ultra EV is quite large, sitting on a 111.8 inches wheelbase. BYD decided to use all that space for "Big Bed Mode" - if you are tired after a long day of letting the car drive you around, you can fold the front seats all the way back. They line up perfectly with the rear seat cushions to create a flat surface - basically a bedroom on wheels. As you relax, you can charge two phones at the same time on the 50W wireless charging pads. The center console also features a crystal-textured shifter and real buttons for the music, which is a nice touch for people who hate clicking through menus just to turn down the volume.

The new Song Ultra uses the latest e-Platform 3.0 Evo. Power comes from a single motor sitting over the rear axle. The 270 kW output (362 horsepower) is enough to push this SUV to a top speed of 130 mph. You probably shouldn't try to go that fast while in "Big Bed Mode," but the power is there if you need it.

The battery comes from FinDreams, BYD's own power storage division. The LFP Blade battery offers two choices: the first version has a 75.616 kWh capacity. Together with this battery, the car tips the scales at 4,387 lb and can travel about 385 miles on a full charge. If you need to go further, there is a larger 82.732 kWh pack. This version is heavier and it boosts the car's weight to 4,519 lb, but it increases the driving range to 441 miles.

New Song Ultra EV - source: BYD

BYD is not being shy about its goals for this model. They want to sell 20,000 units every single month and to meet that demand, they are building the car at two different factories in Zhengzhou and Changsha. The company is focusing heavily on the advanced driver systems to stay ahead of the competition. They want to prove that they can build cars that are just as smart as they are efficient.

We will not know the exact price until BYD's Technology Day on March 5, but we have a good idea of what to expect. The estimated starting price is around RMB 180,000 (roughly $26,100), making the BYD Song Ultra EV about RMB 9,800 ($1,420) cheaper than the Song L EV Smart Driving Edition. For a car that comes with lasers on the roof and a bed inside, that price might convince a lot of people to join the EV revolution.

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