- The Yangwang U7 makes 1,287 hp from motors on both axles.
- BYD says the test car was pulled at random from a showroom floor.
- Daily temperatures during the run topped 97 degrees Fahrenheit.
The ultra-luxurious U7 sedan from Yangwang has already been updated, barely a year after its market launch, and BYD is boasting about how comprehensive its testing regime has been and how well the new Blade Battery 2.0 performs.
To wrap up testing of the Yangwang U7, which has a starting price of around $95,400 in China, BYD says it randomly selected a U7 from one of its stores and spent 8 days, 19 hours, and 58 minutes driving it 18,600 miles (30,000 km), cruising at an eye-watering average speed of 149 mph (240 km/h). This test isn’t dissimilar to the tests Mercedes-AMG performed last year with its GT XX Concept. In that case, the German EV was driven 24,901 miles (40,075 km) in 7 days, 13 hours, and 24 minutes.
Read: Richard Hammond Once Crashed A Rimac, Now Trusted With BYD’s 2,978 HP Hypercar
BYD conducted the test in Nanning, where average daily temperatures exceeded 36°C (97°F) and relative humidity reached as high as 80 percent. The air conditioning was also set to 24°C (75°F) throughout the endurance run.
Beyond the test demonstrating how well the U7 can perform at high speeds and over long distances, BYD also wanted to ensure the battery would hold up. It says the U7 used was flash-charged more than 350 times. At the end of the test, the battery had retained 98.7 percent of its capacity.
This was far from the only test Yangwang conducted for the updated U7. It says it has been testing 758 vehicles across the country, cumulatively covering more than 6.5 million miles (10.49 million kilometers).
The Yangwang U7 was first unveiled in early 2024 and hit the Chinese market roughly 12 months ago. Less than six months after the first deliveries started, it was revealed that Yangwang was preparing to update it, equipping it with new 135.5 kWh and 150 kWh battery packs.
Both versions of the electric U7 have 644 hp electric motors at the front and rear axles, combining to deliver 1,287 hp. The 135.5 kWh version has a CLTC driving range of 497 miles (800 km), while the 150 kWh model can travel up to 625 miles (1,006 km) on a charge. A plug-in hybrid version with a 52.4 kWh battery and 1,341 hp is also available.