BYD and its luxury car subsidiary, Yangwang, are set to unveil their latest creation on Sunday, February 25.
The Yangwang U9 marks BYD's first venture into electric supercar territory, but can it live up to the hype?
The rise of Yangwang
The Yangwang brand has been making waves since its introduction in January last year, primarily with the release of the U8 hybrid off-road SUV and the now the U9 all-electric supercar.
The U8, Yangwang's first vehicle, saw successful deliveries beginning last December, with about 1600 models finding owners in China alone.
The U8 set a high bar for luxury and performance, featuring innovative tech like tank turns and tyre blowout stabilisation. It can even float on water for emergency navigation.
Power and performance
The Yangwang U9, however, is set to elevate the brand's ambitions further. The supercar features an innovative quad motor system and utilises BYD's new e4 platform coupled with the DiSus vehicle body control system.
The U9's dimensions, roughly equivalent to the Tesla Model S, hide its capabilities. It boasts an impressive 960kW, enabling it to accelerate from 0 to 96 km/h in under two seconds, putting it toe-to-toe with performance giants like the Lotus Evija.
BYD's growing dominance
This U9's upcoming launch has garnered significant attention after BYD showcased the U9's advanced capabilities and 'dancing moves' at a previous event.
Priced at around ¥1 million (around $229,000), the Yangwang U9 is expected to be a formidable competitor in the luxury EV market in China and beyond.
BYD's aggressive expansion in 2024 signifies its ambition to dominate the global EV market.
After surpassing Tesla last year as the world's top-selling EV maker, BYD continues to diversify its portfolio with new models like the Sea Lion 07 and Yuan Up and existing top sellers like the Dolphin, Atto 3, and Seal.
