The Yangwang U9 (Chinese: 仰望U9) is a battery electric super-coupe manufactured by BYD Auto under its luxury car brand Yangwang. The U9 is the second vehicle from the Yangwang brand after the U8 off-road SUV, and was formally introduced on Auto Shanghai in April 2023.

Yangwang U9
Overview
ManufacturerBYD Auto
ProductionAugust 2024 – present
AssemblyChina: Shenzhen, Guangdong
DesignerUnder the lead of Wolfgang Egger
Body and chassis
ClassSports car (S)
Body style2-door coupe
LayoutDual-motor, four-wheel-drive
Platforme⁴ platform[1]
DoorsButterfly
Powertrain
Electric motorPermanent magnet
Power output960 kW (1,287 hp; 1,305 PS)
Battery80 kWh BYD Blade LFP
Electric range450 km (280 mi) (CLTC)
Plug-in charging
  • 7 kW (AC)
  • 500 kW (DC, supports dual charging)
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,900 mm (114.2 in)
Length4,966 mm (195.5 in)
Width2,029 mm (79.9 in)
Height1,295 mm (51.0 in)
Kerb weight2,475 kg (5,456 lb)

Overview

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The U9 was developed by German car designer Wolfgang Egger, who previously served as a head designer for Alfa Romeo, Audi and Lamborghini and began working for BYD in 2017.[2]

The U9 was first introduced on 6 April 2023, and went on sale in February 2024.[1] Mass production officially started on 16 August 2024.[3]

The U9 achieved an uncertified Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time of 7 minutes and 17.9 seconds in November 2024. It also achieved a straight-line top speed of 391.94 km/h (243.54 mph), making it the fastest Chinese car in serial production.[4]

Specifications

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The U9 is equipped with four electric motors providing a total power output of 960 kW (1,290 hp) and a maximum range of 450 km (280 mi) on the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC). BYD reported a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time of 2.36 seconds, and a 14 mi (402 m) drag race time of 9.78 seconds. The official top speed of the U9 is 309.19 km/h (192.12 mph).[1]

The U9 is built with an 800V electrical architecture, with a maximum DC charging power of 500 kW. The charging duration between 30% and 80% is 10 minutes. The U9 also supports dual charging, or plugging in two charging guns simultaneously to increase charging speed.

Like the U8, the U9 features BYD's proprietary "e4" (易四方) individual wheel drive system, which enables the vehicle to redistribute torque among the four wheels in case of traction loss or a tyre puncture at speed; and the "DiSus" (云辇) active suspension system, which allows the wheels' ground clearance to be readjusted individually and even to perform a brief vertical jump.[5] The active suspension consists of three different systems; DiSus-C controls variable damping, DiSus-A controls the air suspension, and DiSus-P controls the hydraulic system.[6] Regarding the vertical jump, the U9 will shrink first, then bounce up, launching all four wheels off the ground at the same time.[5] BYD has not announced the specific reason for the jump function on the U9, but the function demonstrates the "DiSus-X" body control system.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Opletal, Jiri (2024-02-25). "BYD's YangWang U9 launched at 236,000 USD: 0-100 km/h in 2.36s with LFP battery". CarNewsChina.com. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  2. ^ "YangWang U9 Is A $145,000 Electric Supercar From China That Hits 60 In 2.0 Sec". Carscoops. January 5, 2023.
  3. ^ "仰望U9首台车下线 将陆续开启交付" [The first Yangwang U9 car rolled off the assembly line and will be delivered in succession]. www.autohome.com.cn. 2024-08-17. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  4. ^ Pappas, Thanos (2024-11-13). "YangWang U9 Hits 244 MPH Top Speed, But Can't Beat The Taycan At The Nurburgring". Carscoops. US: Carscoops. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  5. ^ a b "BYD's new supercar can jump (but not in the way you might expect)". Top Gear. 2023-04-11. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  6. ^ Hundal, Thomas (2023-04-11). "The Electric Yangwang U9 Supercar Can Literally Jump Thanks To New Twists On Legendary Suspension Tech". The Autopian. Retrieved 2024-04-13.