The Yangwang U8 from BYD, an extreme off-road vehicle, made its debut at the Shanghai Auto Show three months after its January conference launch. With a 49.05 kWh battery, it is an Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) and has a 180 km CLTC range.
A 2.0-liter petrol engine with a 75-liter fuel tank serves as the range extender and powers the batteries. A full battery with the aforementioned tank can give a vehicle a driving range of up to 1,000 km.
It takes just 5 minutes to charge the battery from 30% to 80%. For autonomous driving, the SUV contains a total of 38 sensors, including 16 cameras, 5 MW radars, 14 ultrasonic radars, and 3 lidars.
Even in areas without phone service, such as the desert or mountains, the driver can stay in touch thanks to satellite communication. On the U8, drone docking is an add-on option.
On April 18, the “Premium Edition” and “Off-road Master Edition” of the U8 went on presale. Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) snorkels and huge roof boxes are features of off-road vehicles. Its curb weight is over 3.5 tonnes, and its dimensions is almost identical to the Land Rover Defender.
The U8 is extraordinarily speedy, despite the earth-shattering weight. A 220 kW electric motor is used to drive each wheel of the 4WD drivetrain, producing 1,180 horsepower and 1,280 Nm of torque. According to the firm, it only takes 3.6 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h.
Along with being lightning quick, U8 is also capable of off-road travel, water travel, and intricate manoeuvres in confined spaces by itself.
The interior of the Yangwang U8 is covered with plush leather. It boasts a 70-inch heads-up display that uses augmented reality and three centre console panels.
Instrument panels for the driver and front passenger measure 23.6 inches. The rear passengers in the Yangwang U8 have two additional 12.8-inch screens. Options for the U8 include five and seven seats.
With a starting price of $159,000—roughly the equivalent of Rs. 44 million in Pakistani rupees—BYD Yangwang U8 is also the most expensive mass-produced car ever made in China. In the third quarter of 2023, the business will begin shipping its opulent off-road vehicle.