Chinese auto company BYD has set a new standard for electric cars with its BYD YangWang U9 three-wheel supercar. The sleek, sporty electric supercar premiered at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2023. And since then, it has been the talk of the town, elevating BYD closer to the levels of Tesla. In fact, going by its incredible features, the YangWang U9 will make the kinds of Tesla and many other Western automakers start playing catch-up. But that’s beside our main agenda of revealing how it would feel to drive the YangWang U9 all-electric supercar manufactured by BYD.
It Has The Most Advanced Suspension System
The most outstanding feature of the YangWang U9 is its superior suspension system known as the DiSus-X. It’s a merger of three other variants of DiSus intelligent body control systems; DiSus-C which controls damping, DiSus-A, which controls air shocks and DiSus-P, which controls hydraulics. This combination results in the powerful hydropneumatic suspension technology behind the car’s “magical” powers to dance, jump, and drive on three wheels. According to BYD, DiSus-X is currently the world's most advanced car body control system. We’ve already seen plenty of cool features in cars, such as self-driving and automatic braking systems, but the DiSus-X body control system is a game-changer not only for the U9 supercar but also for futuristic cars.
Part of the video released by BYD showcased the YangWang U9 dancing rhythmically on the spot. Just by watching, it feels fun to be in the car as it makes those moves. However, the U9 is not the pioneer of car dancing. The Mercedes S-Class had already achieved it with its ABC active body control system. Although we’re not yet into the era of flying cars, BYD’s U9 is proof that we are making baby steps toward this reality. The car can propel all four wheels up a few inches off the ground from a standstill position thanks to the kinetic power of DiSus-X suspension system.
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The YangWang U9 Is Safe And Comfortable In Most Driving Scenarios
Let’s set the record straight - driving on three wheels is not an entirely new concept in cars, but it's super impressive. Back in the 1960s, a hydraulic suspension that could allow tire change without a jack and driving on three wheels was used by Nissan on its older Citroën DS models. Only that Citroën DS could not achieve the high speeds on three wheels as witnessed with the YangWang U9. That aside, isn’t it just a one-of-a-kind experience to be in the driver’s seat of a car changing lanes on the highway while moving at speeds of up to 120km/h and with one of its four wheels unattached but still stable? Apart from feeling ecstatic yourself, it would make onlookers stare in awe. While it’s not expected that owners would drive the YangWang U9 with only three wheels, it’s a clear demonstration of its ability to conquer rollover, especially when navigating sharp corners, in the event of a tire burst, or during emergency braking.
Another DiSus-X system’s capability is road-scanning, which works together with the hydraulic body control to ensure the car navigates potholes and speed humps without much impact on the occupants. BYD borrowed this technology from Mercedes’ Magic Body Control which was used in W222 S-Class produced since 2013. Several cameras fitted on the U9 scan the road for potholes and humps, then transmit the information to the suspension system. The intelligent suspension system responds by adjusting the damping to level out the impact of potholes and humps on the vehicle’s occupants. Having tested it thoroughly for more than 30 months and 10 million kilometers (six million miles), BYD is confident about the effectiveness of the DiSus-X suspension system in most driving scenarios.
The BYD U9 Supercar Features Sporty Looks
YangWang U9‘s view from the front reveals noticeable C-shaped LED lights with DRLs that move both horizontally and vertically. But that’s just one of the many sporty features of this car. Like any other supercar, it also features a wide air dam and front air splitter to increase the downforce for a more stable high-speed cruise. The designer spoked wheels resemble what we see in every modern sports car. The rear completes its sporty looks in style. Similar to the front lights, the LED taillights are conspicuous, forming a horizontal strip shape extending from one end to the other. However, the one thing that is eye-catching on the rear is the large diffuser that almost takes up the bottom half of the rear space. Oh, and it will be a disservice to talk about the YangWang U9’s sporty looks without mentioning the protruding tail fin that splits the vented rear windscreen into two halves.
It's Powerful And Boasts Impressive Performance
The U9 electric car is powered by the newest 100kWh BYD Blade battery pack. Based on the complete CLTC cycle conditions tests, a full charge of this battery pack delivers a driving range of approximately 700 kilometers. This battery power drives four electric motors. Each of these motors generates a maximum of 275 horsepower and 236 pound-feet (320 Nm) of torque. This makes the car’s total maximum power output 1100 horsepower and 944 pound-feet of torque (1,280 Nm). Things get a little interesting when it comes to its acceleration. BYD mentioned that the U9 is capable of doing 0-62 mph in just two seconds. Yes, you read it right. But a word of caution - overdoing it would deplete the battery much faster. BYD plans to avail the YangWang U9 electric supercar to customers later this year. However, the car will only be available in the Chinese market. According to the company, the price will be capped at about 1 million RMB ($150,000).