BYD’s Yangwang U9 Electric Supercar Officially Debuts, 1,300HP On Tap
BYD’s Yangwang U9 Electric Supercar Officially Debuts, 1,300HP On Tap
Chinese EV maker BYD today is announcing the launch of its first all-electric supercar, branded under the Yangwang sub-brand. The Yangwang U9 is BYD’s take on the ever-growing electric supercar segment, which today consists of both new automotive entrants and legacy automakers looking to transition its portfolio.
For now, it looks like it is available in China at first with the price of RMB 1.68 million (~RM 1.11 million), with deliveries set to begin this summer. No word on the local pricing just yet, but if any Malaysian with pockets deep enough to want one of these, here’s what to expect with this Chinese EV supercar.
Design-wise, the company says the supercar adopts the “Time Gate” design language, which embodies a “distinctive aesthetic characterized by unique proportions, tension, and power.” Unlike most EV supercars we’ve seen so far, the U9’s rear wing looks more akin to swan-neck design that is often seen in GT3 race cars, whereas most contemporary EV supercars often opts for active aero that hides the wing at low speeds.
The Yangwang U9 uses BYD’s e4 platform, and as the number implies, it’s a chassis that features 4 electric motors on each corner. Such designs offer much greater per-wheel torque vectoring control over traditional axle differentials, and the combination of four electric motors can deliver a grand total of 1,300hp and 1,680Nm of torque. This translates to 0-100km/h of 2.36s and a quarter mile time of 9.78s. The top speed, however, is on the low side, which is quoted as 309.19km/h.
One unique feature of the U9 has perhaps made news before, and it’s the DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System that provides 75mm of suspension travel, with a lifting speed of 500mm/s – some napkin math will tell you this can allow the U9 to engage from its lowest to the highest point in just 0.15 seconds. To deliver the point across, BYD previously made the car jump with all wheels off the ground, and even drive with only 3 wheels attached.
That aside, the batteries inside the U9 (which they call ‘Blade Battery’) come with upgraded thermal management systems that allow double the cooling capacity, plus the charging power is now increased to 500kW. The monocoque, or Super Carbon-fire Cabin as BYD calls it, provided a torsional stiffness of 54425Nm/degree – that’s right up there with hypercars like Bugatti Chiron and Hennessey Venom F5.
Finally, the Yangwang U9 comes with customized 4nm-class 5G chips for its DiLink150 platform, which is “specifically designed for track driving.” It’s not exactly clear what it’s for, but it looks like a feature designed to complement racing circuits, which the company says supports nearly 30 race tracks in China.
Pokdepinion: From what I can tell, it looks like U9 is using motor-driven suspension components, and I’m pretty sure Porsche trialed this idea as well. Would this beat the double-wishbone designs?
