BYD’s capacity for ‘outside the box thinking’ in the design, use of technology, and manufacture of their vehicles – first evident to Irish motorists in their BYD ATTO 3, BYD DOLPHIN and BYD SEAL models – has hit new heights as two models from their YANGWANG luxury and performance brand are revealed. Brought to Ireland for an exclusive viewing by dealers and motoring media – the first EU country afforded that opportunity – the YANGWANG U8 and YANGWANG U9 are strikingly different from each other, and from anything currently on the market here.
The models concerned are the all-terrain YANGWANG U8 hybrid SUV, and the high-performance pure-electric YANGWANG U9 ‘supercar’. Both are described by YANGWANG as the ‘pinnacle of luxury and performance that pushes the boundaries of automotive innovation’. Describing both as ‘pioneering’ in a way that demonstrates the creativity and technical ability of BYD and YANGWANG, Ciaran Allen, sales director, Motor Distributors Limited said: “In the YANGWANG U8 and U9, the ability of BYD to lead the industry in the use of technology is demonstrated in a range of features that have the potential to transfer into their mainstream production models over time”.
YANGWANG U8
A luxuriously appointed, visually expressive, full-bodied, 5-door, 4×4, all-terrain, hybrid SUV, the 3.5-tonnes U8 is powered by a 49.05 kWh BYD Blade battery – robustly protected and integrated into the vehicle’s chassis as part of BYD’s Cell-to-Chassis (CTC) technology – and supported by four permanent electric motors delivering 295bhp to each wheel, backed up by a front, transverse-mounted, 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbo charged petrol engine which works as a range-extender. In performance terms, the combined on-road/off-road hybrid U8 boasts a massive 1,200 bhp, with acceleration from zero to 100kms in just 3.6 seconds. It has a top speed of 199.5 kms/h and a (CLTC) battery range of up to 1000 kms.
Built on their ‘technically innovative’ e4 Platform, the U8 embodies cutting-edge technology, stemming from BYD’s two decades of R&D experience, and evident in a variety of highly imaginative features, many safety related. For example, in the event of a sudden tyre blowout, a Vehicle Stabilisation System helps the driver to maintain a safe course. An emergency ‘flotation’ function enables the U8 to ‘float’ on water for 30 minutes and motor forward at a gradual 3 kms/h speed – with the additional capacity to ‘wade’ through floods with a snorkel exhaust fitted. Other safety-related features are its DiSus-P Intelligent Hydraulic Body Control – an active suspension system that uses hydraulic actuators to increase ground clearance by 15cms. A differential steering system enables it to perform 180-degrees ‘tank-turns’.
YANGWANG U9
The U9 is distinctly different. A ‘high-performance pure-electric supercar’, it combines good looks with an electrifying performance likely to stir the emotions of sports car fans everywhere. Key components are its e4 Platform individual wheel drive system that redistributes torque to all wheels in the event of traction loss, and DiSus-X Intelligent Hydraulic Body Control System which allows ground clearance to be adjusted. With agility and precise four-wheel independent torque output control, the U9 delivers what YANGWANG calls: ‘the ultimate in safety, performance, and driving experience’.
Fitted with an 80kWh BYD Blade battery, the U9 is equipped with four electric motors that deliver a total 960kW power to all four wheels (equal to 1,300hp). In performance, the U9 can achieve a top speed of 309.19 km/h and a 0 – 100km/h sprint speed of only 2.36 seconds. In addition, it has an overall electric range of 450kms and a maximum 1,680Nm of torque. With DC charging power of 500 kW, charging from 30% to 80% takes only 10 minutes. To increase charging speed, it can accommodate dual charging using two charging guns.
