Cars and water have never got along well. It is enough to go for YouTube to see what happens when a vehicle Try to cross a riverhowever caudalous it is: drowned motors, electrical systems failing and assured breakdowns.
However, Byd has been demonstrating that there is an exception for more than a year. It is called Yangwang U8, a high-end mastodontic SUV that has just starred in a curious scene in the E-Journey organized by the brand in China: floating and moving naturally through a river.
Yes, you can navigate. And it’s not just marketing. As we can see in a video, the U8 descends through a slope to the water, floats without difficulty and advances maneuvering gently. It is not something that is seen every day in a serial vehicle. As explained by Car News China, the system allows to navigate up to 3 km/Hy stay afloat for 30 minutes, thanks to an IP67 protection for the car set and IP68 in its key components.
Technology at the service of survival. When the driver activates the water crossing mode from the central screen, the car begins to monitor depth, inclination and other parameters by sensors. If it detects adequate conditions, automatically enters emergency flotation mode.
At that time, the suspension rises to its maximum level, the windows are closed, the air conditioner goes to air recirculation and the fans adjust its operation to improve the sealing of the vehicle. Even the sunroof automatically opens as an escape in case of emergency.
A SUV that wants to step hard in its segment. Yangwang U8 is not limited to floating. It is a luxury SUV that aspires to mark a before and after in its segment. According to the official press release of Byd, the Premium Edition version presented in September 2023 includes technologies such as the E⁴ platform (the first in the world with four independent electric motors in production) and the DISUS-P intelligent hydraulic control system.
With these technologies, the vehicle is capable of performing maneuvers such as turns on its own axis (Tank Turns), stabilization in case of a puncture and an acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds. All this with a joint power of 1,200 horses and an autonomy of up to 1,000 km thanks to its plug -in hybrid system.
An ambitious bet on the electric. Byd’s proposal goes beyond the engine and traction. Yangwang U8 can completely recharge from 30% to 80% in just 18 minutes with rapid 110 kW charging and offers external food (VTL) capacity of up to 6 kW, enough to feed electronic devices or tools for more than 24 hours.
Inside, luxury is also present: Nappa Leather, Curves OLED screens, wood and a 22 -speakers Dynaudio audio system. Everything, topped with the intelligent Nvidia architecture and more than 500 calculation power tops for advanced assisted driving.
This is not about adventures. It goes emergency. Although more than one has passed through the head to cross a lake with his car for fun, Byd clarifies that this function is not intended for recreational activities. Its purpose is to provide a useful tool in case of emergencies, such as floods or sudden floods. In fact, if the flotation mode is activated, the manufacturer recommends taking the vehicle to review as soon as possible, as China Channel also emphasizes.
Images | Byd
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