While the sheer straight-line performance displayed by the BYD Qin hybrid which can hit 62 mph or 100 km/h in just under six seconds, is impressive, making a sedan quick is moderately difficult, whereas building a supercar with no prior experience (and doing it well) is a much more daunting task.
Nevertheless, website ChinaCarTimes reports that BYD is looking to build such a performance model, adding that it has already received a code name (E9) and will complete the benchmark sprint in 3.9 seconds. They don’t say how this will be achieved, and whether or not the car they are planning to make will be a hybrid, but it could.
The Qin sedan features a 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine working in conjunction with an electric motor for a combined total 223 kW of power, or 301 horses.
Apparently, the next step for the company will be the release of a similar hybrid system that utilizes a 2.0-liter petrol, instead of the 1.5-liter. It will reportedly propel a future SUV model past 62 mph in 4.9 seconds – the same powertrain could be used and at least another second could be shaved off to achieve the desired sprint time for the upcoming sporty model.
By Andrei Nedelea
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