Dealers and media in Ireland were this week given time with two models from the luxury division of Chinese car maker BYD, as it showcased the Yangwang brand. The Yangwang U8 hybrid luxury SUV and Yangwang U9 electric supercar had both been shipped to Ireland direct from the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, the first country in the EU to get firsthand experience of the two models.
Sounds like a big deal. When are they going on sale?
There's the rub: the Yangwang U8 and U9 aren't likely to go on sale here. Instead, the two vehicles are being used to highlight what BYD can do. Irish BYD importer Motor Distributors Limited (MDL) is behind the brief visit, and sales director Ciaran Allen had this to say: “In the Yangwang U8 and U9, the ability of BYD to lead the industry in the use of technology is demonstrated in a range of features that have the potential to transfer into their mainstream production models over time”.
In effect, the two Yangwang models are halo vehicles, and some of their shine as the "pinnacle of luxury and performance that pushes the boundaries of automotive innovation" is designed to rub off on the current BYD line-up. Here in Ireland that comprises three all-electric models so far: the Dolphin hatchback, Atto 3 compact SUV and Tesla Model 3-rivalling Seal saloon.
So, what's the point of bringing the hybrid U8 over?
It's a lot more electric than its hybrid tag suggests, because the Yangwang U8 is a range-extending hybrid that's packed with luxurious trimmings. Under the skin, the U8 features a 300hp electric motor in each wheel for a grand total of 1,200hp, and it can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds. We're less sure about braking distances, because this 5.3-metre long off-roader weighs a colossal 3.5 tonnes, which is well ahead of traditional heavyweights such as the Rolls-Royce Phantom.
Those electric motors are powered by a 49kWh battery (that's nearly as big as the battery in a Renault Zoe), while a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine acts as a range extender to charge up the battery when you're on the move. BYD quotes a range of up to 1,000km on the Chinese economy test cycle.
But the innovations don't end there, because the Yangwang U8 features electronic stability control that can mitigate the effect of a sudden tyre failure, plus there's a 'float' function that can see the car stay buoyant for up to half an hour while moving at 3km/h. There's four-wheel steering, too, and a ‘tank turn’ function that allows the U8 to turn in its own length, while hydraulic body control can increase the car's ground clearance by 150mm.
Inside, the Yangwang U8 has a luxuriously appointed four-seat cabin. There are digital displays for the driver and all three passengers, while the central touchscreen offers a wide range of functions, and there's another in the rear.
That's the luxury angle covered. How about this supercar?
The Yangwang U9 might be numbered consecutively after the U8 - and is in fact based on the same e4 Platform - but it couldn't be any more different in terms of execution. It's a two-seat all-electric supercar featuring butterfly doors and an 80kWh battery that's capable of delivering a range of up to 450km. Rapid DC charging at up to 500kW is available, while an innovative 'twin pump' design means it can be charged from two sources at the same time. In theory, the U9 can be recharged from 30 to 80 per cent capacity in 10 minutes.
But supercars are more about the performance figures than the range, and the Yangwang U9 has some suitably big figures. There's a quad-motor set-up like the U8's, with an electric motor in each wheel, but here they make a total of 1,306hp, along with1,680Nm of torque. That means a gut-punching 0-100km/h time of 2.36 seconds, and a top speed of 309km/h.
There are carbon-ceramic brakes and the car's hydraulics can adjust the ground clearance for different situations. According to BYD, the Yangwang U9 delivers "the ultimate in safety, performance and driving experience".
Those are some bold claims
Yes they are, but with BYD going from zero to a three-model line-up in Ireland in 12 months, the growth of its bus and commercial vehicle business, plus the fact it builds its own batteries - so it's not dependent on outside sources for advances in technology - then these Yangwang models are something of a logical step for a manufacturer that's expanding its operations exponentially. They may never be sold in Ireland, but the technology within could well trickle down to the rest of the BYD lineup that will.