With 1,200 CV and a range of 1,000 km, this Chinese electric SUV puts Europe's premium brands on notice

Chinese manufacturers are moving at quite a pace… and they’re reaching a remarkable level. They’re daring to take on everything, and a prime example is this Yangwang U8 Premium Edition. You probably don’t recognize the brand, but if I tell you it’s the division responsible for BYD the most luxurious cars, the picture changes. And it’s not the first model with which Yangwang has surprised us; it already opened our eyes with its supercar, the Yangwang U9.

It’s very unlikely, if not almost impossible, that we’ll see the U8 on the Spanish market. But a look at its exterior and interior design and, above all, its technical specifications makes it clear why European manufacturers are more than concerned.

Electric propulsion with four motors and 1,200 CV

We’re not entirely sure how, since there aren’t many details about its technical specifications, beyond the fact that it has four electric motors and a range extender system. This allows for truly impressive figures to be announced: a total system output of 1,200 CV, enabling this “giant” of over 5.3 metres to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds. And thanks to the range extender, it reaches a range of 1,000 km. The maximum charging power isn’t very high, at 110 kW; but it allows the battery to go from 30% to 80% capacity in under 20 minutes.

The platform on which the Yangwang U8 is built is internally called e4Platform, the first mass-produced platform in the world designed for electric vehicles with four independent motors. This provides electric torque vectoring at each wheel. As for range, 1,000 km is claimed, though this figure requires a careful reading: it is achieved with the help of the range extender, a combustion engine that generates electricity on board; and it is likely based on the Chinese homologation cycle, meaning it would be somewhat lower under the WLTP standard.

In any case, its figures are certainly eye-catching, as is its design, which somewhat recalls the Land Rover. Or its imposing cabin. And it isn’t the only advanced technology that sets this Chinese luxury SUV apart. Among other systems, it features V2L bidirectional charging of up to 6 kW, three OLED screens totalling 60 inches, 50 W wireless charging pads, or an audio system with surround sound and 22 speakers.

Yangwang U8 – Image Gallery