China’s Booming BYD debuts a stunning EV supercar (and it’s way cheaper than a Ferrari)
When you think of supercars that can speed along in the 200 mph range and accelerate to 60 mph in less than three seconds — with mega-prices to match — you generally think of brands such as Porsche, Lamborghini, BMW, Ferrari, McLaren, Bugatti and more.
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What you probably don’t think about is Chinese EV-maker BYD, noted for having just passed Tesla in worldwide electric vehicle sales and selling a range of mostly modest vehicles such as the compact DI minivan and the E2 hatchback.
So you might be surprised by what BYD, through its just-launched luxury division, Yangwang, has just brought to market — a 192-mph supercar that can reach 60 mph in about 2.3 seconds, which is faster than the famed Lamborghini Huracán and the Ferrari 296 GTB.
Called the U9, the supercar just debuted at the Geneva Motor Show, with a price tag of $233,000 and crazy stats such as 1,300 horsepower and 1,239 ft. lbs. of torque. But that moolah is much less than comparable super-sporty EVs such as the Rimac Nevera and the Pininfarina Battista that have stickers showing about $2.4 million (yes), more than ten times the outlay on an E9.
At present, BYD says it’s only going to sell its speed demon in China, but with its looks, unique features (such as an electronic suspension system; see video), performance and comparatively low price, demand from abroad is sure to be hot, something the company surely can’t ignore for long.
As the letters BYD stand for — Build Your Dreams — this could be many a motorist’s fantasy.
