BYD's new model, the Yangwang U9, has broken a record: it reached 391.94 km/h on a test track in Germany.
According to official figures, the electric car with almost 1,300 hp accelerates to 100 km/h in 2.36 seconds and has a top speed of 309.19 km/h. This means that the only car in its class that can beat it is the Croatian Rimac Nevera, which can reach speeds of up to 412 km/h.
The Yangwang U9 was unveiled in February this year and mass production started in the summer, with proud owners expected to get behind the wheel next year. BYD has made no secret of its ambition to take the supercar head-on with brands such as Ferrari and Lamborghini. But at a slightly lower price: the luxury model will cost around 1.68 million yuan (85-90 million forints). The car will initially be sold only in China, but could later enter the European market (it remains to be seen how it will be affected by EU punitive tariffs in Europe).
The Yangwang U9 has an 80 kWh battery pack in its belly, which BYD claims will give the car a range of 410 km - although experts warn that the range could vary considerably for a 1300 hp vehicle. However, BYD claims the battery can be charged from 30% to 80% in 10 minutes.
The comparison between Ferrari and Lamborghini is not a coincidence: BYD's chief designer is Wolfgang Egger, who has previously worked for Alfa Romeo, Audi, and Lamborghini.
