In 2020, Elon Musk claimed that the then-yet-to-be-launched Tesla Cybertruck was the automotive Jesus, in the sense that it could float on water, even promising two years later that it could be used as a boat. Sure, we’ve seen the EV wade waters just as any ICE-powered truck would, but we have yet to see the stainless steel-bodied Tesla do an actual demo of its supposed amphibious nature.
Enter the BYD YangWang U8, launched in China in 2023. Despite the unfortunate name (at least in Western countries), this electric SUV has the capability to float on water, and this video from China captures the full demonstration. Now, we’ve seen the U8’s aquatic feature before in photos, but this will be a closer look at this cool feature that you shouldn’t try at home.
Dive, Turn, And Roll Out
Posted on DiscoverChinaAuto’s YouTube channel, the demo happened in China in a controlled environment. The video, which you can watch at the bottom, showed a white U8 diving into a pool of water, having its hood fully submerged (the rear end floated), then making a U-turn on the pool’s deep end and rolling off to “dry land” as if it was nothing. The footage ended with the SUV drying off.
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For the uninitiated, the U8 has a long list of capabilities and serves as the flagship SUV of YangWang, the luxury division of Chinese auto giant and Warren Buffett-backed BYD. Its 1,100-horsepower quad-motor setup even allows the EV to do more than just a crab walk – it can complete a 360-degree tank-like turn using its advanced torque vectoring that’s claimed to be 100 times faster than a typical system.
Not For Recreational Purposes
The U8’s amphibious act was an amazing feat, and we can imagine some practical uses, especially during hurricane seasons. However, BYD warns owners that this feature is not for recreational use and should only be used for emergencies. There are a multitude of reasons why you shouldn’t float your EV in deep waters, regardless if it can or not. Plus, remember that the demo video here was in a controlled environment, so presumably, it wasn’t salt water that the U8 dipped in.
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The video below also showed YangWang’s other superlative models, such as the U9. This 1,300-hp electric hypercar boasts a DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System that can electronically adjust suspension travel up to 2.95 inches – a neat party trick that’s actually usable to vastly improve its track performance. Too bad BYD isn’t coming to America. Well, at least for now.
H/T:
The Drive
News Summary:
- Tesla Cybertruck Has Yet To Demonstrate What This Chinese SUV Can Easily Do
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