BYD’s Yangwang U9 jumps over road spikes while self-driving [video]

BYD published a video showcasing the Yangwang U9 supercar driving unmanned while jumping over various obstacles, such as potholes filled with water and road spikes.

Yangwang is BYD’s premium electric brand, and the U9 is its second car after the off-roader U8 SUV. The U8 made headlines because it could float on water, while the U9 supercar received lots of attention thanks to its Disus X suspension and hydraulic system, which allows the car to jump or dance.

BYD marketers now take this to a new level and publish a video in which Yangwang U9 drives unmanned on a test road at 120 km/h. The first obstacle it encounters is a wide, 2.5-meter-long pothole filled with water. As the EV approaches, the suspension launches the vehicle over the pothole. According to BYD, the leap is over 6 meters long.

The next obstacle is a field of road spikes with a height of about 3.5 centimeters. As in the previous case, the Disus X suspension system makes the U9 leap over it. BYD didn’t provide any other details about the test, such as what ADAS (Advanced driver-assistance system) was used. BYD previously announced ADAS cooperation with DJI or Horizon Robotics.

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Yangwang U9 was launched in February 2024 for 1.68 million yuan (230,00 USD) in China. The mass production and deliveries started six months later, in August.

U9 is an all-electric supercar based on BYD’s e4 platform equipped with a Disus X suspension system. This system enables the car to drive on three wheels, dance, or jump, as shown in the latest video.

It is powered by four electric motors with a combined power of 960 kW (1,287 hp) and 1,680 Nm peak torque. It can accelerate 0-100km/h in 2.36 seconds and drag race for 400 meters in 9.78 seconds. In November 2024, Yangwang U9 achieved a 7:17.9 Nürburgring lap.

Unlike other supercars, it is not equipped with lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides (NMC) but a cheaper lithium iron phosphate (LFP) pack. The battery capacity is 80 kWh, which is good for 465 km under CLTC conditions.

U9’s dimensions are 4966/2029/1295 mm (length/width/height), and its wheelbase is 2900 mm. Its curb weight is 2,475 kg, which is quite a lot for a supercar.

U9 features 800V architecture and can charge from 30% to 80% in 10 minutes. The supercar also supports dual charging, meaning you can plug in two independent charging guns simultaneously. That is nothing new for BYD, as their Denza D9 and N7 debuted this technology in the BYD lineup.