Yangwang U7 Holds 98.7% Battery After 18,600-Mile Test
BYD has wrapped testing of the updated Yangwang U7 with an endurance run designed to stress both the car and its new Blade Battery 2.0, and the automaker says the battery emerged with 98.7 percent of its capacity intact.
According to BYD, a U7 was pulled at random from a showroom floor and driven 18,600 miles (30,000 km) over 8 days, 19 hours, and 58 minutes, averaging 149 mph (240 km/h). The car was flash-charged more than 350 times across the run. The test took place in Nanning, where average daily temperatures topped 97 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity climbed as high as 80 percent, with the air conditioning held at 75 degrees throughout.
The exercise echoes the high-speed endurance run Mercedes-AMG conducted last year with its GT XX Concept, which covered 24,901 miles (40,075 km) in 7 days, 13 hours, and 24 minutes. BYD frames the U7 run as the closing chapter of a broader validation program spanning 758 vehicles and more than 6.5 million miles (10.49 million km) nationwide.
The updated U7 arrives barely a year after the sedan reached the Chinese market, where it starts at around $95,400. Yangwang began preparing the refresh less than six months after first deliveries, fitting new 135.5 kWh and 150 kWh battery packs. Both dual-motor versions pair 644 hp electric motors front and rear for a combined 1,287 hp. The 135.5 kWh car carries a CLTC range of 497 miles (800 km), while the 150 kWh model is rated at 625 miles (1,006 km). A plug-in hybrid variant is also offered, using a 52.4 kWh battery and delivering 1,341 hp.
The U7 was first shown in early 2024 before reaching customers roughly 12 months ago.
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