First Drive: The Yangwang U9 is China’s first attempt at an electric supercar

What is it?

Electric supercars are a niche segment in the new car market, and the Chinese automotive industry hasn’t tackled this sector…until now.

BYD is one of the world’s richest and fastest-growing car manufacturers, and now it wants to add more to the mix with the launch of its luxury sub-brand, Yangwang.

Yangwang is BYD’s answer to Bentley, producing some of the most luxurious and fastest production cars for the road.

The U9 is its latest creation, a two-seat, two-door electric supercar that aims to take on the Lotus Evija and Rimac Nevera while still offering zero-emission credentials and ultimate driving thrills. So, is that the case, or is the U9 just a one-trick pony? Let’s find out.

What’s new?

The U9 is all about speed and performance, with a mad exterior design and a plush interior.

It features an 800-volt architecture to help give class-leading charging speeds, while it’s the first Chinese production road car to use a carbon fibre monocoque to help reduce weight.

The U9 also comes equipped with BYD’s new ‘DiSus-X’ active body control, to help improve handling and ride comfort. There is also new high-tech suspension technology, allowing the car to hop inches above the ground, which the firm says is useful for avoiding potholes and poor road surfaces.

What’s under the bonnet?

The U9 comes equipped with an 80kWh battery, and there is not one…not two…but four electric motors.

This gives a total power output of 1,287bhp and 1,680Nm of torque, which takes the car to 60mph in just 2.1 seconds and the top speed is 243mph – making it one of the fastest production cars in the world, right now.

Yangwang claims the car can travel up to 280 miles between charges and that 500kW DC rapid-charging is compatible, allowing the car to be topped up from 10 to 80 per cent in just 10 minutes.

What’s it like to drive?

We only had a very short drive of the car around BYD’s new test track, although first impressions are promising.

As soon as you put your foot down, the instant throttle response from the quad electric motors makes you realise how capable the U9 is on a track. Enter a corner and the quick turn-in from the steering and precise handling make it a proper driver’s car, while the suspension is surprisingly well set up over bumps.

Hit the brakes, and those massive discs come into their own, with little pitching and diving coming from the front end. Meanwhile, the driver’s seat bolsters tense up around the corners to hold you firmly in position.

The U9 doesn’t have a rear window, meaning that visibility is poor, with a digital rear-view mirror provided to help the driver have a clearer view from behind. Those phenomenally sharp brakes do bring a trade-off in stop-start driving as they are too grabby, which makes it difficult to make smooth progress.

How does it look?

The U9 has all the right boxes ticked when it comes to turning heads, as its design is very distinctive. To help with air flow, the grooved bonnet with sculptured intakes and rear quarter louvres are all designed to make the car as slippery as possible.

There is the option of a fixed rear carbon fibre wing to help with downforce when going around the corners, although a price for the additional upgrade has not been revealed.

At the back, there is a fat carbon fibre rear diffuser, a full-width rear lightbar and scissor-opening doors, which are electrically operated.

What’s it like inside?

The U9 wouldn’t be a supercar without a touch of flair, and it’s no different here.

Our car comes with mauve Alcantara upholstery, which is found on the seats, the spine of the centre console and the lower section of the dashboard.

There is also carbon fibre around parts of the steering wheel and door cards, too, while it’s nice to see some physical switches to help aid usability, even further.

However, don’t go expecting the U9 to offer SUV-like levels of practicality, because it’s limited. We can’t criticise it for not having any, as there is a wireless phone charger located in the centre console, and a large cut-out behind the central touchscreen and a glovebox.

The interior is a really pleasant experience, as the wraparound cockpit makes you feel hemmed in, while the portrait central infotainment system and digital driver’s display make it feel bang-up-to-date.

What’s the spec like?

At this stage, Yangwang has not revealed any prices or UK specifications.

The U9 will be going up against electric supercars like the Lotus Evija and Rimac Nevara when the car comes to the UK next year. It’s estimated to start at around £183,000, which is considerably less than a Rimac Nevara’s £1.7 million asking price.

Also, there will be an ‘Xtreme’ variant, featuring the same 80kWh battery, with power tuned to make 2,959bhp and even speedier 1,200-volt architecture.

The U9 Xtreme has also just broken the world record for the fastest production car, achieving a top speed of 308mph, though only 30 examples of this record-breaker will be made, with it unclear whether any UK allocations have been accepted.

Verdict

For a first attempt at the electric supercar segment, the U9 is an impressive and exciting proposition.

From what we’ve experienced so far, the U9 is a fast, well-composed, easy to drive, good-looking and, if prices are accurate, great value supercar.

It might not have the pedigree of a Ferrari or the flamboyance of a Lamborghini, yet somehow, Yangwang has managed to create a car that puts up a serious fight in a rather exclusive segment.