26Jan
- BYD YangWang U9 Performance: Surpasses V8/V12-powered Aston Martin Vantage.
- Phenomenal Suspension System: Unique technological innovation with no direct matches.
- Disruptive EV Platform - e4: Inspired by nature, mimicking a running cheetah's posture.
- Cheapest Supercar with Highest Performance: Market debut in the first half of 2024, priced at $150,000.
Is it the best supercar worth buying? Um, no. Where would that leave famous beauties like the Lamborghini Huracan or the Ferrari 812 Superfast? Is it the cheapest supercar on the market? Heck, no. The $65,000 Chevrolet Corvette 2023 has that honor, even though some would argue the Corvette is an extreme sports car with supercar performance. Is it the most powerful affordable supercar on the road? That's exactly the combination that makes BYD's YangWang U9 the best affordable supercar money can buy.
Don't take this the wrong way.
There are lots of comparatively cheap, fantastic supercars out there calling out to your 401K. It’s just that most of them don't quite meet the level of performance and visual appeal flaunted by mainstream supercars. The U9 is just as powerful as the $3 million Bugatti Chiron and as good-looking as the Koenigsegg Gemera, and now we know that the U9 costs just one-twentieth of the Chiron's starting price!
Sure, $150,000 is a lot of money, but we dare you to pick out any other luxury all-electric supercar this cheap. We’re all too happy to share 5 reasons why the YangWang U9 deserves your full attention.
See also: Here's Why The 2024 Acura Integra Type S Is The Best Small Sport Sedan Of The Year
The Best Cheap Supercar On The Market
On display in Shanghai - Photo credit: CarNewsChina
A few days ago, Yahoo Finance confirmed that BYD will release the YangWang U9 at $150,000, which is about the same as the brand's first SUV called the U8. To clear any confusion, YangWang is BYD's premium brand, just like Lexus is Toyota's luxury-focused brand.
At $150,000, the BYD YangWang U9 is currently the best, most powerful, affordable supercar money can buy anywhere on the planet. While big shots like Lamborghini and Ferrari are yet to roll out their all-electric supercars, we expect they will cost a lot more than the U9 when they do arrive, even though they won’t have much over the YangWang.
The Lamborghini Lanzador, for example, is the Italian marque's first production all-electric super-SUV, slated for 2028, and is estimated to cost double the price of the U9. Does this mean the big shots are particularly better than the U9? That's hardly the case.
In fact, the U9 will sooner worry about Xiaomi's $40,000 SU7 electric sedan with 664 horsepower and enough oomph to bolt from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds than fight too hard for the people's love and pockets against high-rollers like Ferrari and McLaren.
Superior Performance At Less Than A Fraction Of The Price
The BYD YangWang U9 features a quad-motor powertrain setup generating a staggering 1,287 horsepower (960 kW), enabling it to achieve a 0-60 mph acceleration time of just 2 seconds. This power output places the U9 ahead of other Chinese electric vehicles and even surpasses the performance flagships from other European and American brands.
Equipped with a 100kWh battery pack, the U9 returns an industry-leading range of 435 miles (or 700 km as per the CLTC). The only EV with a longer range is the Lucid Air Grand Touring trim with 516 miles of range, itself a luxury sedan with a roughly $140,000 starting price, barely ten grand cheaper than the U9.
In comparison, the venerable $158,000 Acura NSX makes 573 horsepower from its hybrid powertrain, propelling it to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds, which is 0.7 seconds slower than the cheaper-priced YangWang U9. The BMW i8 combines a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine and two electric motors to make a combined 369 horsepower.
Considering that the i8 asks for a fistful of $148,000 and is slower than the U9 by 2 full seconds, the best choice between the two is rather clear. Not even the V8 and V12-powered Aston Martin Vantage would challenge the U9's value proposition.
The Vantage's F1 Edition makes 528 horsepower, while the V12 makes 690 horsepower, both lagging far behind the YangWang U9's lightning-fast acceleration and robust 1,000+ horsepower.
Presented with the option of both supercars, most people won't think twice about going for the U9 than paying the Vantage V12's $173,000 starting price.
See also: How The Lamborghini Terzo Millennio Achieve Self-Healing Superpower
Phenomenal Suspension System
The BYD YangWang U9 is equipped with an advanced air suspension system called the DiSus-X, designed to deliver exceptional performance and control. The DiSus-X system consists of three intelligent subsystems:
1. DiSus-A: This subsystem controls the intelligent air suspension and features air shocks that can be adjusted by up to 5.9 inches (150 mm). It allows the U9 to rise up to 150 mm, providing the vehicle with enhanced ride height and improved ground clearance.
2. DiSus-C: Responsible for controlling the intelligent damping, this subsystem processes thousands of signals per second and adjusts the suspension's firmness in milliseconds. It contributes to the vehicle's handling and stability.
3. DiSus-P: This subsystem is described as "the world’s first intelligent hydraulic body control system." It controls the oil intake of the damper, damping adjustment valve, and stiffness adjustment valve. It has an adjustable travel of up to 7.8 inches (200 mm) and provides the capability to lift all four wheels simultaneously or each wheel independently.
Photo credit: JustAnotherCarDesigner via Wikimedia
The DiSus-X suspension system empowers the YangWang U9 with a wide range of capabilities, including the ability to drive on three wheels at speeds of up to 75 mph (120 km/h) and dynamic maneuvers such as jumping off the ground.
The system has undergone extensive testing, with over 30 months and 6 million miles (10 million kilometers) of endurance testing to ensure its reliability and performance.
Notably, the BYD YangWang U9's DiSus-X suspension system is a unique technological innovation with no direct matches or similar automobile suspension systems anywhere in the world.
Disruptive EV Platform
The BYD Yangwang U9 is based on the e4 platform, which represents a significant leap in new energy vehicle technology. The e4 platform's core comprises a four-motor independent drive technology that has been mass-produced in China for the first time.
This technology engenders a world-class level of safety to customers, and its capabilities include precise adjustment of the dynamics of the four wheels through the four-motor independent vector control system.
The e4 Platform reconfigures the traditional attributes of new energy vehicles and conventional fuel vehicles, reshaping the power system capabilities and providing a new level of safety and performance for electric vehicles.
The technology behind the e4 Platform takes inspiration from the perfect posture control of a running cheetah. The four electric motors, driving each wheel independently, mimic the four sturdy legs of a cheetah, delivering significantly improved safety and performance.
The platform is evidently disruptive, breaking away from conventional technical architectures to provide next-level vehicle safety. It addresses the historical and technical limitations of conventional fuel vehicles, offering independent regulation of wheel-side dynamics with millisecond precision.
Comparatively, the U9's substantial curb weight of 5,456 lb indicates a solid build, while its dimensions (4,966/2,029/1,295 mm, wheelbase of 2,900 mm) align it with prestigious models like the BMW i5, reflecting a substantial size necessary to accommodate the massive 100 kWh battery pack and four electric motors.
Affordable Supercar Worth Every Penny
The YangWang U9 has been showcased in action, demonstrating its prowess on the track, including an impressive braking test that had its brake calipers glowing red—a testament to its extreme braking torque.
The car features an eye-catching exterior design with wide wheel arches, an electric spoiler, side skirts, and distinctive "fruit fork" headlights. The continuous horizontal taillight unit contributes to its striking appearance.
The interior is hinted to feature a Tesla-like steering yoke and a large portrait-oriented touchscreen on the center console.
The car will hit the market in the first half of 2024, priced at $150,000. BYD's foray into the supercar segment with the U9 exemplifies the company's aspirations to commandeer the upscale market, especially if it means selling at attractive prices.
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