Prolific Chinese EV manufacturer BYD is working on the YangWang U7, a sedan packing a 135.5kWh battery that delivers up to 800km of range. The new BYD EV will offer two CLTC cruising ranges – 720km and 800km. The new detail was culled from the latest catalog of NEVs exempted from vehicle purchase tax. The catalog was released by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Recall that the company recently announced the YangWang U8.
Preparing for Market Launch
The U7 is being prepared for its market launch in China, having earlier applied for the sales license last month. BYD is the world’s biggest new energy vehicle maker and the YangWang brand is a luxury unit of the carmaker. YangWang currently sells the UB EREV offroader and the U7 will expand the YangWang portfolio. YangWang is also reportedly working on two other models apart from the U7. These are the U9 sports car and a fastback crossover whose name has not been revealed.
Battery Details and Performance
The Ministry’s catalog indicates that the YangWang U7 has an LFP battery manufactured by BYD’s FinDreams with a capacity of 135.5kWh. The battery weighs 903kg which translates to about a third of the electric sedan’s full weight of 3095kg. The substantial weight of the battery is due to its chemistry and configuration. There are several other batteries with higher capacity and less weight than the U7. The difference in the CLTC cruise ranges is due to the drag coefficient, as the curb weight and combined power output are similar. The U7 comes with four electric motors with a total power output of 960kW and a top speed of 270km/h.
Design and Features
The YangWang U7 will come with optional side-view cameras in place of traditional mirrors. It will also feature aerodynamic wheel covers and optional bumpers. With its full complement of aerodynamic elements in place, the U7 can achieve a drag coefficient of 0.195 Cd. It runs on the e4 platform (also called the YiSiFang) and implements the brand’s three-screen layout. The interior offers either four or five seats and the dimensions of the U7 are 5265 x 1998 x 1517 mm with a wheelbase of 3160mm.
Pricing & Availability
The YangWang U7 is expected to debut in China later this year but the release specifics and pricing details are lacking at this time.
