BYD YangWang U9 EV supercar in China – 1,306 PS, 0-100 km/h 2.36 secs, “jumping” suspension, RM1.1mil

We often associate BYD with value-for-money electric vehicles at the lower end of the market, but in China the brand has a whole different connotation. We already know it sells more luxurious cars like the Han and Tang there, and now its upmarket YangWang sub-brand has finally launched its supercar, the U9.

Revealed back in April last year, the U9 is about a world away from the Dolphin in terms of price, retailing at an eye-watering 1,680,000 yuan (RM1.1 million). But it’s also a far more sophisticated machine – especially where performance is concerned.

Powering the U9 are four motors (one for each wheel), each producing 326 PS (240 kW). Together, they produce a staggering 1,306 PS (960 kW) and 1,680 Nm of torque, enough to propel the car from zero to 100 km/h in just 2.36 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 309 km/h.

But the U9 is not just about the performance. It’s the first Chinese car to come with a carbon fibre monocoque, as well as BYD’s DiSus-X active body control suspension, which the company says has been developed in-house. It uses cameras to scan the road and then counters body movements with electric motors, reacting in as little as 40 milliseconds and lifting each wheel by as much as 75 mm at up to 500 m/s.

These capabilities are what allow the U9 to perform its infamous party tricks, such as dancing, driving on three wheels and even jumping in place. Its quad motors, meanwhile, enable the car to do a tank turn (spin in place), much like the U8 SUV.

The U9 continues to use BYD’s lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology; with a capacity of 80 kWh, the car has a claimed range of 450 km. That’s on the notoriously lenient CLTC cycle, which means the real-world range is likely less than 400 km.

The car also features an 800-volt architecture and can support up to 500 kW of DC fast charging power. This can be achieved via dual charging through the ports on both sides, topping up the battery from 10 to 80% charge in just ten minutes; it will presumably also make you very popular at busy charging stations. Incredulously, like many BYD models, the U9 still only supports 7 kW of AC charging power, taking seven hours to charge the battery from 10 to 80%.

It’s certainly a very striking-looking thing, the U9, with lots of slashes and scoops and a pair of butterfly doors. At the front, you’ll find distinctive C-shaped “interstellar” headlights, while the rear sports full-width taillights that extend upwards in the middle along the “spine” of the car.

The car also has an active rear spoiler and diffuser as standard, although it appears that you can spec it with a fixed swan-neck wing and a dorsal fin. The wheels measure a massive 21 inches and are shod with Pirelli P Zero tyres – 275/35 at the front, 325/30 at the rear. Behind them you’ll find carbon ceramic discs with six-piston front and four-piston rear callipers.

Inside, there’s a double-bubble dashboard to give occupants a cockpit-like feel, enhanced by the 127-colour ambient lighting system. In front of the driver sits a 10.25-inch mini-LED digital instrument display, while another mini-LED 12.3-inch portrait touchscreen (not rotatable, unfortunately) controls the infotainment. Music is piped through a 12-speaker Dynaudio Evidence Platinum sound system.

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