Stop giggling at the name, people.
The Chinese EV company BYD has launched a new luxury brand, YangWang, and its halo SUV is a 1,100 horsepower off-road ready SUV, the U8. It follows hot on the heels of the U9 supercar, which made its debut a few days ago.
The quad-motor YangWang U8 mixes sophisticated technology with an old-school ladder-frame chassis and styling that borrows heavily from the Land Rover Defender and Nissan Armada.
The four motors are fed electricity from BYD's compact Blade batteries that the company advertises as “redefining safety standards for the entire industry.” Despite a heavy ladder frame chassis, Yangwang claims the SUV will hit 62 mph in three seconds.
Highlights of the U8's technological prowess include advanced torque vectoring. Using the motors individually, Yangwang claims it is 100 times faster than a typical system. A crab mode, the ability to do 360-degree tank-like turns, and the ability to float in water in an emergency are just a few of the other highlights.
Styling-wise, the YangWang U8 has flush-fitted door handles, an illuminated grill that merges into the LED headlights, and flared fenders with boxed wheel arches that house 20-inch alloy wheels. YangWang claims that the U8 can keep driving at 75 mph in the event of a flat tire thanks to run-flat tires and the ability of the previously mentioned torque vectoring system.
BYD, based out of Shenzhen, is increasingly pulling market share from Tesla in China, and the YangWang U8 goes straight to the high-end market. Exact pricing hasn't been given, but the company says it will cost around the “million yuan” mark, which is about $145,000. That would make it one of the most expensive EVs in China until the U9 supercar goes on sale.
There's no word on whether the YangWang U8 will come to the US, but BYD does have a US presence, with around 60% of its stocks owned by US investors, with Warren Buffet being the largest shareholder. However, no Chinese EV makers sell vehicles in the US due to the massive tariff on Chinese cars.
If YangWang were to bring its vehicles to the US, it would have to change its name here, that's for sure. Or perhaps YangWang will rise to the occasion and impress Americans with the size of its portfolio?
Keyword: YangWang Launches 1,100 HP Quad-Motor Defender Rival