BYD YangWang U9 electric supercar launched in China
THE competition in the electric supercar segment is about to heat up with the arrival of a new competitor from BYD’s luxury arm YangWang.
Simply called U9, the electric supercar is priced 1.68 million RMB (RM1.12 million) in its home market, with delivery set to commence this summer. The U9 made its first appearance in January last year, alongside the U8 SUV.
Like the SUV, the U9 is built on the e4 Platform featuring four electric motors, one powering each wheel. The setup gives the U9 a mind-boggling total output of 1,300 hp and 1,680 Nm.
It goes without saying that this is the fastest car ever produced by BYD so far. 0-100 km/h accelaration takes just 2.36 seconds, while the maximum speed is rated at 309.19 km/h.
Crazy numbers but the drawback is that driving range but the performance means some range has to be sacrificed. BYD claims a range of just 450 km based on the lenient CLTC cycle.
The U9’s 80 kWh LFP battery supports dual-plug charging at capacities of up to 500 kW, which takes 10 minutes to refill the battery from 10% to 80%. It can also be charged via a 7 kW AC charger, which takes about seven hours to complete a 10-80% charge.
The U9 has 12 sets of active and passive aerodynamic packages to reduce drag coefficient and enhance heat dissipation efficiency. It is also equipped with the iSus-X Intelligent body control system, which can raise the suspension by up to 75 mm at a speed of 500 mm per second.
Needless to say, the unique suspension system makes the U9 more agile in corners, but as you may have seen before, it also allows the supercar to “dance” and “jump”. Not only that, with one motor on each wheel, this car can also perform a tank turn.
Inside, the U9 uses the DiLink150 platform powered by a 5G chip. Specifically designed for track driving, it boasts an intelligent racing assistantance, providing extensive track driving services with detailed information on nearly 30 racetracks across China.
Other creature comforts include a 14-way adjustment for the driver and passenger seats, Dynaudio Evidence high-end audio system, and ambient lighting system with 127 colour options, to name a few.
Life’s too short to argue about which car is the best. Drive whatever you like, as long as you’re happy with it.