BYD’s first ultra-luxury electric sedan launches at under $90,000: Meet the Yangwang U7

BYD’s first ultra-luxury electric sedan hit the market on Thursday at an even lower price than expected. The Yangwang U7 packs nearly 1,300 horsepower from four electric motors, is loaded with smart tech and premium features, and starts at under $90,000.

Yangwang U7 arrives as BYD’s first ultra-luxury EV sedan

You probably know BYD for its low-cost electric cars like the $10,000 Seagull EV sold in China, but the automaker is quickly expanding into new markets.

BYD launched Yangwang in early 2023, an ultra-luxury brand aimed at Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and other premium automakers.

The brand’s first vehicle, the U8 off-road SUV, arrived in September 2023, starting at about $150,000 (1,098,000 yuan). Last year, it launched the Yangwang U9 electric supercar, which is faster than a Ferrari and starts at $233,400 (1,680,000 yuan).

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On Thursday, BYD launched the Yangwang U7, its first ultra-luxury EV sedan. The U7 has four electric motors producing up to 1,287 horsepower (960 kW), good for a 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) sprint in 2.9 seconds.

At 5,265 mm long, 1,998 mm wide, and 1,517 mm tall, the U7 is slightly bigger than Porsche’s Panamera. Like the U9, the luxury sedan features its DiSus-Z body control system, which can stabilize the vehicle if a wheel blows out.

It’s also equipped with BYD’s “God’s Eye” A advanced driving assistance system. With three Lidars, five radars, 13 high-def cameras, and 12 ultrasonic radars, the system offers Level 2 self-driving capabilities. It will offer ADAS features, including Navigate on Autopilot (NOA).

Powered by a 135.5 kWh BYD Blade battery, the luxury sedan has CLTC range of up to 720 km (447 miles). It can also fast charge (30% to 80%) in under 20 minutes with DC fast-charging speeds of up to 500 kW.

Inside, the Yangwang U7 is similar to the U8, with a “Star Ring Cockpit” layout, BYD’s DiLink smart cockpit system, and DeepSeek AI. It includes a 12.8″ curved center screen, a 23″ instrument display, and 6″ passenger entertainment screens.

The U7 is available in electric and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants. Although it was expected to start at around 1 million yuan, BYD’s ultra-luxury sedan hit the market at just 628,000 yuan ($87,700) for the five-seat version. The four-seater starts at 708,000 yuan ($94,300).