Recently, BYD announced that the first customer delivery vehicle of its Yangwang U9 electric supercar model which has rolled off the production line, with deliveries set to commence soon.

To meet the exacting production standards for the U9, BYD has constructed a dedicated high-standard factory exclusively for its production. This state-of-the-art facility includes specialized areas for body assembly, general assembly, logistics, and auxiliary functions.

A 2,000-square-metre temperature and humidity-controlled cleanroom has been custom-built for the production of the carbon fibre cabin, ensuring an ultra-high standard environment that guarantees the quality of carbon fibre bonding.

U9 is the first mass-produced vehicle model in China to use carbon fibre as a structural component for its body. It features the largest-ever monocoque carbon cabin in the world, constructed with aerospace-grade T700 12K carbon fibre material. This material has a density only one-fifth that of steel but is 5 to 6 times stronger. The vehicle achieves a lightweight coefficient of only 0.95.

The vehicles super body is assembled in the body area of the factory, comprising three main components: the carbon fibre cabin and the front and rear aluminium frames. The carbon fibre cabin is bonded using a specialized carbon fibre adhesive process within the dedicated cleanroom, where temperature, humidity, and airborne particle levels are measured every two hours using advanced instruments to ensure the environment meets the cleanliness standards of a medical operating room.

Front and rear aluminium frames of the car are connected using two advanced techniques: FDS thermal flow drilling and MIG automated arc welding. The riveted structure created by FDS thermal flow drilling offers excellent tensile and shear strength, with superior dynamic load capacity.

The MIG automated arc welding process uses inert argon gas as a protective shield to prevent weld oxidation, ensuring high-quality aluminium welds.

At the body assembly station, the three main componentsÂ?the carbon cabin and the front and rear framesÂ?are precisely aligned using jigs and then assembled into a high-strength body framework through a combination of structural adhesives and bolted connections.

In the general assembly area, the company has implemented advanced technologies such as AGV (automated guided vehicle), electric servo tightening systems, and a barcode error-proofing system to ensure precise assembly on the production line, further enhancing the accuracy and reliability of the U9's final assembly.

Regarding safety, Yangwang stated that "it has conducted rigorous and demanding safety tests that exceed global standards. These tests include a variety of scenarios beyond global requirements, such as curb impacts, bottoming out, rollovers, and vehicle-to-vehicle collisions. During the development phase, more than 2,000 virtual simulations were conducted, and over 100 vehicles underwent 96 different safety tests."

Recently, the U9 began testing on the Nürburgring Nordschleife and participated in the iconic hill climb at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, showcasing its unique DiSus suspension and on-the-spot U-turn capabilities.

In a recent high-speed test, the U9 engineering test car set a new speed record, reaching 375.12 km/h, surpassing its previous track test record.