BYD, the massive Chinese vehicle maker better known for its electric transit buses, forklifts, monorail trains and efficiency-first electric cars, has channeled its EV expertise into a sleek all-electric supercar aimed squarely at Tesla’s Plaid series of pavement scorchers – and many other high-performance icons.
BYD recently passed Tesla as the top seller of electric vehicles in China late last year and continues to grow market share despite the recent pullback on all-electric cars in most international markets. Yangwang, pronounced “young-wong,” is BYD’s performance and luxury sub-brand in China. If the car is ever exported, it will likely get a different moniker.
The U9 is a sleek supersport coupe with what seems like an amalgamation of Lamborghini, McLaren and perhaps Koenigsegg styling ideas, distilled down by BYD’s Chief Designer, Wolfgang Egger, formerly of Audi, Lamborghini and Alfa Romeo.
The result is a low-slung luxury sporting hardtop with electrically operated touchless scissor doors, multiple in-car screens and a large rear wing, although other images of pre-production U9s show the car sans wing and sporting a large fin down the rear centerline. YouTuber Wheelsboy was able to get a closeup look at a pre-production U9 in China that looks very close to production trim.
The Yangwang U9 was officially announced early in 2023 and early buyers reportedly began receiving units last November. The U9 is a low-volume halo car capable of a claimed sub-2.4 second 0-60 time and a top speed brushing up against 200 mph. The price pencils out to about $233,000 via current currency conversion but again, the U9 will only be sold in the domestic market, although we don’t think that will stop flush international supercar enthusiasts from sneaking some into garages and collections outside of China.
A YouTube video by GoPure Cars (below) contains both renders and video footage of the U9 in public, where it can apparently “dance” and do tank turns thanks to its all-wheel-drive power train and controllable active suspension system.
Some quick internet research pegs the U9’s electric motor or motors (it’s not clear how many there are or where) as putting out just over 1,300 horsepower and more than 1,100 lb-ft of torque. The motor draws power from a 100kWh battery pack, and range is a claimed 600-plus miles, which is likely optimistic since current three-motor Tesla Plaid models have about the same size battery pack and less total power output, and can only go about 360 miles at the most.
Like Tesla, BYD is heavily invested in solar energy, battery production and materials research. The company claims the U9 can recharge to 80% in five minutes, but does not state exactly how, as that kind of energy transfer rate would likely require one megawatt chargers and robust internal electronics with the ability to safely handle that much incoming energy. And while the Tesla Model S Plaid seats five, the U9 only has room for two. Nonetheless, if the U9 were to come stateside, it would likely be quickly drafted into some straight-line races with similarly potent vehicles from McClaren and others.
BYD’s American website shows another car, called the Han (above), a more mild four-door EV that still has a strong performance quotient and seats four or five people in a much less radical and vaguely Model S style, including retractable door handles. The Han has a claimed 375 mile range, sub-four second 0-60 time and all wheel drive in top “Flagship” trim. A front-wheel drive “Premium” trim is a tick slower and has a 341 mile range.
No pricing or availability was specified on the BYD site as of publication.