BYD’s luxury Yangwang brand has unveiled its third production car, a high-performance luxury saloon with over 1,000hp, aimed at competing with performance variants of the BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE. The new four-door model, named the U7, is set to hit the Chinese market in the second half of 2024. It is built on BYD’s e4 platform, the same platform used for the Yangwang U8 SUV and U9 supercar.
The U7 features distinctive styling, drawing inspiration from the U9, with C-shaped headlamp graphics, structured flanks, and full-width tail-lights. Officials claim it will be one of the most aerodynamically efficient cars in production, boasting a drag coefficient of 0.195Cd, outperforming competitors like the i5 and EQE. While the exact dimensions of the U7 are yet to be revealed, reports suggest it could stretch up to 5,200mm in length and 2,000mm in width. The model accommodates wheels of up to 21 inches in diameter.
Technical details posted on Yangwang’s official WeChat channel indicate that the U7 will be equipped with over 1,000hp generated by four electric motors. However, it remains uncertain whether the sedan will feature a range-extender powertrain like the U8 or a pure-electric system like the U9. The U8’s range-extender system combines a 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with four electric motors and a 49.1kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, producing 1,195hp. In contrast, the U9 relies on a pure-electric drivetrain with four electric motors and a 100kWh LFP battery, resulting in a combined output of 1,114hp. The U7 is anticipated to have a starting price of over ¥1 million (around Rs 1.2 crore) in China.
BYD is already present in the Indian market with the Atto3 SUV and the E6 MPV. The Seal sedan, positioned as a rival to the Tesla Model 3, is also expected to be introduced in India later this year.
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