- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr He Ar
Electric journey with Yuanhang
The new Yuanhang brand debuted at the 2022 Chengdu Motor Show (China). The premium electric brand was created by China’s leading company, Dayun Automobile Group, which has long specialized in commercial vehicles, trucks and buses, and also owns the electric vehicle brand, Dayun Passenger Car, which produces two affordable cars including a 3.7 m long Yuehu compact SUV and a lovely Yuanzhi M1 compact van. Besides, Dayun Automobile Group includes Dayun Truck, Dayun Motorcycle, Dayun Pickup Truck, Dayun New Energy and Dayun Passenger Car. But the electric future seems to be haunting automotive companies. Therefore, in order to grab its share of the high-end model market, a new brand with the romantic name Yuanhang (“travel”) appeared. Let’s see where an electric trip with Yuanhang will lead us.
What do we know?
Yuanhang will produce high-end models with a price range of 300-600,000 yuan (43-87,000 dollars). To demonstrate the seriousness of their intentions, the company presented four electric models in Chengdu. All cars are built on the same BHD (Beyond the Horizon of Drive) modular platform, created with the participation of specialists from Bosch and Huawei. All models have an unusual design and original multimedia technologies. The electric cars will go on sale in May-June 2023.
The BHD modular platform offers a wheelbase of 3,125-3,130 mm and a decent body length of over 5 meters. The models have the characteristic design with elegant silhouettes and retractable door handles. The electric vehicles received an 800-volt electrical system. This means that it only takes 10 minutes to charge the traction batteries enough to cover 300 km. The maximum distance that the top-end versions can travel will be 1,000 km. It is possible to install two electric motors, which automatically means four-wheel drive, which is not common in China. The total power of the twin-engine unit reaches 680 hp, and the torque is 800 Nm. Therefore, the manufacturer promises acceleration to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds (for some cars).
It is also known that the AliOS operating system was provided by Alibaba, and the suspension will be pneumatic, with adaptive dampers. The image of new models is complemented by brakes from the famous Italian company Brembo, which cooperates with manufacturers of sports cars and motorcycles. All models have a Bosch iBooster electromechanical brake booster, like the Porsche Cayenne and Jaguar I-Pace, as well as a Bosch ESP9.3 ESP.
Model range
Yuanhang Y6
The Yuanhang Y6 sedan with a length of at least 5,270 mm is considered the base model. Its wheelbase is 3,130 mm, the width of the body is 2,000 mm, and the height is 1,500 mm. The car is able to accelerate to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and drive without recharging up to 1,000 kilometers. It is four-seater.
Yuanhang Y7
The Y7 sedan with a sloping roof is either a flagship model or a sports model with a body length of 5,260 mm. The show model attracts attention with lifting front doors, orange body color and cameras instead of mirrors. The car has cool matrix headlights that ‘know how’ to project cues for the driver or pedestrians on the road. The car is richly finished, has Nappa leather seats, a 17.4-inch multimedia screen controlled by the AliOS operating system and equipped with facial recognition for different users. The steering wheel has an unusual shape. The projection screen received support for augmented reality (70 virtual inches), and the digital dashboard has a diagonal of 12.3 inches. The sound system has 19 speakers. Additionally, there are touch-button panels for controlling ‘music’ and climate control for the rear passengers.
Yuanhang H8 and H9
Yuanhang SUVs received the same 3,125 mm wheelbase and almost the same body length: 5,230 mm for the H8 and 5,220 mm for the H9. Of course, the models differ in design, but that’s not all. Thus, the Yuanhang H8 (2,015mm wide, 1,760mm high) has a panoramic roof with a projector designed for rear passengers: you can recline the seats and watch movies or other content while looking up. It is hardly convenient from the point of view of human physiology, but such a feature attracts attention and it is easier to recognize the car in an endless series of sparkling novelties.
The Yuanhang H9 SUV is expected to become the flagship model, but there is still little information about it. It is known that both models will be equipped with two electric motors developing up to 680 hp and 800 Nm. Both electric SUVs will get a pair of front panel displays with a 12.3 and 17.4-inch diagonal, as well as AR-HUD projection screens with a 70-inch diagonal, like the Y7. It is promised that the H8 and H9 will have 2 or 3 rows.
