The upcoming U7 sedan is set to be globally marketed under BYD's luxury brand, Yangwang.
14 Jan 2024 | 7539 Views | By Autocar India News Desk
BYD’s new upmarket Yangwang brand has revealed its third production car: a 1,000hp plus luxury saloon aimed at performance variants of the BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE. Set to go on sale in China first during the second half of 2024, the new four-door is based on BYD’s ...
This is an Autocar Pro Plus article. Subscribe to continue reading.
BYD’s new upmarket Yangwang brand has revealed its third production car: a 1,000hp plus luxury saloon aimed at performance variants of the BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE. Set to go on sale in China first during the second half of 2024, the new four-door is based on BYD’s e4 platform – the same structure that underpins the Yangwang U8 SUV and U9 supercar.
The styling of the U7 adopts cues already seen on the U9, including C-shaped headlamp graphics, structured flanks and full-width tail-lights. Officials from the Chinese manufacturer claim it will be among the most aerodynamically efficient cars to enter production, with a drag coefficient that betters the i5 and EQE, at 0.195Cd.
It also reflects a family resemblance with BYD-branded models – including the India-bound Seal sedan – and accommodates wheels of up to 21-inch in diameter. BYD is yet to reveal the dimensions of the U7, but reports suggest it could stretch to up to 5,200mm in length and 2,000mm in width.
In a post on its official WeChat channel, Yangwang said that the U7 gets more than 1,000hp from four electric motors. At this stage, it isn't known if the four-wheel-drive sedan will feature a range-extender powertrain, as used by the U8, or a pure-electric one as found in the U9.
The REx system of the U8 combines a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with four electric motors and a 49.1kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery and develops 1,195hp. The EV drivetrain used to power the U9 uses four electric motors in combination with a 100kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, and combined output is 1,114hp.
BYD said the new Yangwang flagship will cost upwards of ¥1 million (around Rs 1.2 crore) in China.
The brand currently sells the Atto3 SUV in our market and also retails the E6 MPV. The Seal sedan, a Tesla Model 3 rival, is also expected to launch sometime this year.