BYD: “China’s super sports cars are getting serious” with new 1,200 hp electric car

BYD is preparing to deliver its first electric supercar, the Yangwang U9. As the first Chinese automaker to complete extensive testing on Germany's famous Nürburgring race track, BYD said “it's time for China's supercars to get serious.” BYD's 1,200-horsepower Yangwang U9 electric supercar is expected to challenge Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini and other high-end automakers as the company expands into new segments.

Yangwang is BYD's new luxury brand and was launched in January 2023. The U9 was unveiled alongside the Yangwang U8, an off-road SUV and competitor to the Mercedes G-Class.

After touting the electric supercar's sleek design, dance moves and other fun features, BYD launched the Yangwang U9 in February. With a starting price of around $233,000 (1,680,000 yuan), the U9 is quite a premium compared to most budget BYD models, which cost between $10,000 and $25,000.

Yangwang recently announced that the first U9 models have rolled off the production line for delivery to customers.

The news comes after BYD completed six months of testing at the Nürburgring. Known as the “world's most difficult race track” or the “Green Hell,” the Nürburgring features tight corners, turns and rapid elevation changes that put the vehicles to the test.

BYD fine-tuned the electric supercar across 70 corners and 30 track sections. Nearly 150 technical solutions were tested to ensure performance.

BYD leads China’s supercars with the new Yangwang U9

“Exceeding the extreme, unprecedented,” BYD said, is the credo of the Yangwang brand. The company said that Chinese automakers must continue to improve and Yangwang will always focus on the future. It also said that it is willing to cooperate with the world's leading automakers.

Featuring an 800V platform and BYD's Yunan-X system, the U9 has a lifting capacity of over 1 tonne per wheel with precise response time.

BYD's electric supercar is powered by four state-of-the-art electric motors with a total of over 1,200 hp. Thanks to this power, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.36 seconds.

That's faster than Ferrari's SF90 Stradale (2.5 seconds) and the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ (2.8 seconds). And BYD's electric supercar costs half as much as the Ferrari and Lamborghini.

According to BYD, the interior features “the smartest supercar cockpit.” It includes a 10.25-inch driver display and a 12.3-inch infotainment system.

With an 80 kWh battery, the U9 achieves a CLTC range of up to 450 km. Fast charging (30% to 80%) takes 10 minutes.

BYD is looking to put China's supercar on the map again with the delivery of the first Yangwang U9 this month. If you want to see the U9 in action, watch it accelerate to a top speed of 374 km/h (see video here).

Source: CarNewsChina, Yangwang