BYD has more than just Tesla in its sights.
The Chinese automaker launch its first all-electric supercar over the weekend called the Yangwang U9. The model is something completely new for the brand and is meant to stack up to the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini.
Months after overtaking Elon Musk’s company to become the world’s best-selling EV maker, it would see that BYD is trying to catch up with the most respected sports car brands. The new model is part of the upmarket Yangwang sub-brand, which launched last fall with the U8, a luxe SUV that can float like a boat in emergencies.
Yang Wang U9
The U9 looks certainly looks a lot different than other BYD vehicles. Up until now, the company’s EVs, even those released under the Yangwang name, have all featured the kind of amorphous, aerodynamic (and somewhat generic) design pioneered by Tesla. Not the U9, though. The coupé has the heavily sculpted look of a car designed to go fast. It has an aggressive front end, dihedral doors and a giant rear wing. In other words, it will stand out, as any supercar should.
Just as important as the U9’s design is its powertrain. The model will be built on the company’s e4 Platform and will have a powertrain that features four motors, one of which is positioned at each wheel. The setup will produce a combined 1,300 hp and 1,239 ft lbs of torque, according to BYD. That’s enough power to launch the car from zero to 60 mph in just 2.36 seconds and to a top speed of 192 mph. Needless to say, but there isn’t another BYD model capable fo those feats right now.
Inside the U9
As impressive as they specs may be, it remains to be seen if the U9 will actually feel like a supercar. Up until now, the Rimac Nevera and Paninfarina Battista have been the only EVs we’ve seen that deliver the kind of performance enthusiasts expect from the class. Both of those vehicles cost more than $2.4, though, whereas BYD plans to sell the U9, which will initially only be available in China, for around $233,450 (or 1.68 million yuan). That’s a more than ten-fold difference. Still, if BYD can actually deliver on its promises at that price we imagine there will be at least a few eager parties out there willing to give the EV a shot.
