Key Takeaways
- The federal ROVER register lists the Yangwang U8: approval VTA-066722, holder BYD Auto Co. Ltd, in force from 16 October 2026
- An approval is not a launch. BYD Australia hasn't confirmed an on-sale date or a price
- The record lists a five-seat wagon with a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine and four 220kW electric motors, 880kW combined
- GVM is 4,180kg, braked towing 3,500kg; the department says the figures are applicant-supplied
- One local media report estimates about $250,000. That is the report's estimate, not BYD's price
The Yangwang U8, in an overseas-market image from BYD's global newsroom. The Australian approval covers the standard five-seat version. Image: Yangwang
BYD's luxury off-roader has cleared a regulatory hurdle in Australia. The Yangwang U8 now holds federal road vehicle type approval, and the record is public on the Department of Infrastructure's ROVER register.
What it doesn't say is when, or whether, you'll be able to buy one. We've added the U8 to our upcoming section on the strength of the register notice, and everything below is labelled for what it is.
What the Register Says
| Item | ROVER record |
|---|---|
| Approval number | VTA-066722 |
| Approval holder | BYD AUTO CO. LTD |
| Make, model code | YANGWANG, SG |
| Marketing designation | YANGWANG U8 |
| Category | MC, off-road passenger vehicle |
| Status | In force from 16 October 2026 |
| Expires | 15 October 2033, unless revoked earlier |
A type approval means the vehicle has been assessed against the national road vehicle standards and the holder may import vehicles of that type and enter them on the Register of Approved Vehicles. That's a compliance step. It isn't a decision to sell the car, and it doesn't come with a price or a date.
BYD Australia hasn't confirmed a launch. Asked by local media, it said it was too early to comment on launch plans. The same report says the company had said as recently as August that it had no plans to launch the U8 here.
The Specs on the Approval Record
These come from the descriptor attached to the approval, so they're the figures given for the Australian approval, not overseas numbers. The department states that this information is supplied by the applicant and has not been verified or approved by the department. The record lists a single variant, with no grade names.
| Item | As listed on the approval |
|---|---|
| Body, seats | Wagon, five seats, four side doors and a rear door |
| Powertrain | Plug-in hybrid (petrol), all-wheel drive, single-speed automatic |
| Engine | 2.0-litre (1,997cc) turbo petrol four-cylinder, 145kW |
| Electric motors | Four traction motors of 220kW each |
| Combined output | 880kW |
| Tare mass | 3,644kg |
| Gross vehicle mass (GVM) | 4,180kg |
| Towing | 3,500kg braked, 750kg unbraked |
| Length, width, height, wheelbase | 5,319mm, 2,050mm, 1,930mm, 3,050mm |
Source: ROVER approval VTA-066722 and its Road Vehicle Descriptor, read 26 October 2026. Tare is the register's term and it is a different basis from kerb mass. The record gives no torque, battery size, electric range or fuel figure.
One practical number: the GVM on the record is 4,180kg. A standard car licence in Australia covers vehicles up to 4,500kg GVM, so on these figures you wouldn't need a truck licence. Check your state or territory's rules to be sure.
The Party Tricks Are Overseas Claims
The U8 is better known for what it does off the road. BYD's global newsroom describes the overseas, China-market U8 as using four independent motors, a hydraulic body control system, all-terrain tank turns, stabilisation after a tyre blowout and an emergency flotation mode. Those are BYD's claims for the overseas car. The Australian approval record doesn't list any of them, and we can't tell you whether an Australian car would carry any of them.
Listed as coming soon from the approval record: no price, no launch date, no ANCAP rating.
Price: Not Announced
There is no Australian price. According to a local media report, the U8 could cost about $250,000. That is the report's estimate. BYD hasn't said it, and we're not treating it as a price.
A Third BYD Brand?
The register lists the make as Yangwang rather than Denza, and Denza is already selling in Australia. One local media report reads that as a hint BYD could be planning another brand here, with its own dealers. Another points out the U8 could still end up sold as a Denza. Neither is a BYD announcement, so treat it as speculation.
Safety
ANCAP: no data. We hold no rating for the U8, and none carries over from another BYD or Denza model. We won't show a star rating until ANCAP does.
What This Means for Buyers
Nothing you can order, yet. If you're shopping for a large luxury 4WD now, the approval doesn't change your options, because there's no on-sale date, no grade list and no price. What it does show is that BYD has done the compliance work, which is usually a step towards a launch. Usually isn't the same as confirmed. When BYD Australia says something official, we'll update this with the source.
Disclaimer: The approval number, holder, status, dates and specifications are from the Department of Infrastructure's ROVER published approvals register, read on 26 October 2026; the specifications are in the approval's Road Vehicle Descriptor, which the department says is supplied by the applicant and not verified by it. The feature descriptions are BYD's claims for the overseas model. The price estimate, BYD Australia's comment on launch plans and the third-brand speculation are as reported by local media. BYD Australia has not confirmed a launch, a date or a price. We hold no ANCAP rating for the U8 and none is implied. Confirm any detail with BYD Australia before you rely on it.