China’s electric vehicle manufacturer BYD on Wednesday evening officially unveiled its luxury electric sedan Yangwang U7, drawing significant industry attention with the debut of the world’s first electromagnetic direct-drive suspension system. The five-seater variant is priced from RMB 628,000 while the four-seater starts at RMB 708,000, marking yet another breakthrough for BYD in core electrification technology.
As the first production car equipped with the YunNian‑Z intelligent floating body control system, the Yangwang U7 achieves a fully electric suspension setup. This technology, developed over seven years by more than 10,000 engineers, applies principles from magnetic levitation trains and aircraft carrier electromagnetic catapults to the automotive field for the first time. BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu emphasized at the launch that the advancement ushers new energy vehicles from the “three‑electric system” era into the “four‑electric era.”
Technical parameters indicate that the YunNian‑Z’s Magic Ruler Sensor offers a detection response time of 50 microseconds—20 times faster than mainstream systems—enabling 4,000 vehicle body posture captures per second. Its suspension adjustment speed reaches 5 milliseconds with a precision maintained within ±1 millimeter, representing an increase of several dozen times over conventional hydraulic suspensions. In testing, the vehicle successfully completed 77 consecutive launch accelerations without performance decay, while a Moose Test recorded a top speed of 95.78 km/h—setting a new record for mass-produced vehicles.
The vehicle integrates multiple core BYD technologies: the Yisifang platform supports independent torque control on all four wheels, enabling innovative functions such as parallel lateral movement and in‑place U‑turns; a bidirectional 20° rear‑wheel steering system allows the 5.2‑meter-long vehicle to achieve a minimum turning radius of 4.85 meters, comparable to A0‑class models; and the horizontally opposed engine’s height is compressed to 420 mm—a reduction of over 40% compared with conventional inline engines—with the noise gap between hybrid and pure electric modes controlled within 1 decibel.
On the safety front, the system can stabilize the vehicle during a side collision at speeds up to 100 km/h by coordinating instantaneous suspension lowering with rear‑wheel steering. In the event of a single‑wheel blowout, the affected wheel is automatically raised to maintain stable three‑wheel operation. In terms of range, the pure electric version is equipped with a 135.5 kWh blade battery offering a CLTC range of 720 km, while the plug‑in hybrid variant boasts a combined range of 1,000 km with a battery capacity of 52.4 kWh.
Although positioned as a “million‑level flagship,” the Yangwang U7 is priced significantly lower than traditional fuel‑powered competitors. Its direct rival, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, starts at RMB 529,900, whereas mainstream models from luxury fuel vehicles such as the Mercedes‑Benz S‑Class typically exceed one million yuan. Data from the China Passenger Car Association shows that sales of new energy D‑segment vehicles surged 69.8% year‑on‑year in January 2025, with the electrification penetration rate in this segment still below 15%.
BYD’s high‑end strategy is already showing results. In January 2024, Yangwang U8 sales surpassed those of the Audi A8L, with cumulative deliveries reaching approximately 7,000 units for the year. The company plans to achieve global sales of 5.5 million vehicles in 2025, with a target of over 800,000 units in overseas markets. Analysts note that the mass production of YunNian‑Z marks the first time a Chinese automaker has led the core chassis system technology, with its vertical integration capabilities enabling deep synergy among systems such as Yisifang and intelligent suspension to form a technological moat.
Despite its impressive technical specifications, the vehicle’s design language and interior layout remain subjects of debate. Its Time Portal-inspired front fascia breaks from traditional D‑segment aesthetics, and the layout of four floating motors impacts rear space to some extent. However, the cost‑performance advantage offered by a starting price of RMB 628,000 has already attracted significant market attention.
Market observers indicate that the vehicle’s technical configuration and pricing strategy are reshaping the competitive dynamics of the traditional luxury car market. With deliveries set to commence in April, Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturers appear poised to enter a new phase of disruption in the luxury segment.