BYD reveals 750kW YangWang U7 sportscar

BYD luxury arm YangWang has this week released details of its U7 NEV (New Energy Vehicle) for the Chinese market. Featuring the brand’s signature design language and packing a 750kW all-wheel drive punch, the swoopy sedan is set to retail for 1 million yuan, or $A209,000.

 

The YangWang brand was launched in early 2023 and currently sells just one model in its home market, the U8 EREV off-roader. Its second model is expected to raise eyebrows within the sportscar community, offering technology and performance often associated with pricier and well-established marques.

 

Riding on YangWang’s e4 architecture, the U7 is understood to combined turbocharged petrol power and quad electric motors – one at each wheel – familiar to the U8 EREV. Further specification details are yet to be released.

 

If the U7 does indeed feature the same powertrain as the U8 EREV, we can expected to see a 2.0-litre petrol engine and 49kWh battery pack providing up to 180km of all-electric range and a combined petrol-electric range of up to 1000km.

 

The peak torque figure for the U8 EREV is listed at 1280Nm, contributing to a 0-100km/h time of 3.6 seconds. With such numbers packed into a smaller vehicle, we expect the U7 to deliver a sub-three-second 0-100km/h time.

 

Stylistically, the YangWang U7 is characterised by the brand’s trademark front-end with a large air intake, C-shaped headlights, and a sharply creased bonnet. There is evident use of carbon-fibre throughout the frontal mask, and in the side skirts and splitters.

 

The U7’s door handles are flush fitting while the five-spoke wheels measure 21 inches in diameter and are shod with Continental tyres. At the rear, a unified lighting assembly is tailored into a neatly styled tailgate. An integrated rear diffuser sits below, again crafted from carbon-fibre.

 

LiDAR and radar sensors are incorporated within the design suggesting the YangWang U7 has some semblance of autonomous driving capabilities built in. More details are expected to be announced closer to the model’s official unveiling.

 

Locally, GoAuto understands that BYD’s local distributor is investigating the business case for YangWang models in Australia.

 

The Chinese importer has achieved marked success with its local range, selling an impressive 12,438 vehicles in 2023, an increase of 488.6 per cent over the year prior. BYD already holds a 1.0 per cent share of the Australian new car sales market.

 

Mid last year, BYD (Build Your Dreams) introduced its Dolphin small electric car to the Aussie market (from $38,890), amassing 925 sales in just a few short months.

 

Its mid-sized Seal electric model (from $49,888) achieved 471 unit sales over a similar timeframe, while the Medium SUV segment Atto 3 electric model (from $48,011) – BYD’s first entrant to the Australian market – racked up 11,042 unit sales across the 2023 calendar year.

 

BYD is also expected to launch a hybrid (petrol-electric) dual-cab utility into the Australian market before the end of the year, the model arriving ahead of the Ford Ranger PHEV due in 2025.