While Ferrari is pushing back EV plans, BYD is stepping in with its first luxury electric super sedan. BYD kicked off deliveries of the Yangwang U7, a four-motor, flagship electric sedan powerhouse packing nearly 1,300 horsepower.
BYD has a new luxury EV sports sedan to beat Ferrari
Although it was due out next year, Ferrari is delaying plans for its second EV for at least another two years. Two sources close to the matter told Reuters that the decision is due to sluggish demand for EV sports cars.
One source claimed that “real, sustainable demand is non-existent for an electric sports car” and that Ferrari’s second EV is not expected to arrive before 2028.
Meanwhile, BYD officially kicked off deliveries of the Yangwang U7 this month, its first electric luxury super sedan.
Packing four electric motors, the Yangwang U7 delivers up to 1,287 horsepower (960 kW), good for a 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) sprint in just 2.9 seconds. It also includes a massive 135.5 kWh battery, providing a CLTC range of nearly 450 miles (720 km).
BYD’s flagship electric sedan is just as smart as it is powerful. The Yangwang U7 features BYD’s “God’s Eye A” ADAS system, which incorporates three Lidars, five radars, 13 high-definition cameras, and 12 ultrasonic radars.
The system offers smart driving and safety features, including Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) for city and highway use, automated parking, and more.
The interior is centered around a “Star Ring Cockpit” design with BYD’s DiLink smart cockpit system and DeepSeek AI. You can see that there is plenty of screen space, featuring a 12.8″ curved center display and a 23″ driver display. Front and rear passengers get added 6″ entertainment screens.
Like other vehicles under BYD’s luxury Yangwang brand, the U7 features its Disus-Z suspension system, enabling it to “dance” and even jump over things on the road.
The U7 is 5,265 mm in length, 1,998 mm in width, and 1,517 mm in height, which is slightly larger than the Porsche Panamera.
BYD’s luxury EV sedan starts at just 628,000 yuan, or about $87,000 in China. The four-seater variant costs 708,000 yuan, or roughly $98,500, which is still about half the cost of the most affordable Ferrari.
Ferrari still plans to launch its first fully electric vehicle during its Capital Markets Day on October 9, with deliveries kicking off the same month. We got a sneak peek of Ferrari’s first EV earlier this year, after it was spotted in public with a crossover-like design.
According to the sources, the second EV will be more of a high-volume model, with Ferrari planning to deliver around 5,000 to 6,000 units over five years, similar to its typical models.
Ferrari’s first fully electric vehicle won’t be cheap. It’s expected to cost at least 500,000 euros, or over $500,000.
Electrek’s Take
Will BYD’s new Yangwang U7 prove that Ferrari is wrong that luxury EV sports cars don’t sell? Several Chinese EV makers are already proving it, such as Xiaomi, which sold over 200,000 SU7 models in under a year.
In April, BYD’s ultra-luxury Yangwang brand delivered its 10,000th vehicle, following the launch of its first model, the U8, in September 2023.
Yangwang sold 139 vehicles in May, including 22 U7s, 12 U9 electric supercars, and 94 U8 SUVs. As more sales data is released, we will see if Ferrari’s theory that demand for an electric luxury sports car is “non-existent.”
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