Chinese car giant BYD is apparently hard at work developing its upcoming all-electric off-roader named Yangwang U8, which is touted as a rival for the all-new Mercedes-Benz EQG, Hummer EV, and future Land Rover Defender EV.
The U8 already set the bar pretty high when it initially debuted, with its ladder frame chassis, adaptive hydraulic suspension, and quad-motor setup capable of delivering over 1,100 horsepower and more than 900 pound-feet of torque.
But just like the upcoming EQG, which will feature a so-called G-Turn function that allows the vehicle to spin on the spot, BYD’s Yangwang U8 has been programmed in such a way that it too can rotate 360 degrees thanks to its four electric motors (one for each wheel).
The video embedded at the top of this page shows the party trick being performed somewhere in the Gobi desert, where the Chinese manufacturer held some sort of publicity event ahead of the vehicle’s scheduled commercial launch in September.
As part of the publicity tour, BYD released a couple of additional videos of the U8 doing some off-roading on dunes and rocky terrain, emphasizing the performance of the company’s so-called Disus suspension system.
After watching the videos above, it’s pretty clear that BYD has worked pretty hard to distance itself from the old perception of Chinese car brands copying everything from American or European legacy automakers.
It’s also worth noting that the Yangwang brand might well become the first EV maker to sell a passenger vehicle that’s capable of doing a tank turn, with the Mercedes-Benz EQG slated to be revealed toward the end of the year and Rivian delaying its own version of the system.
As always, we’d like to know what you think about this, so head over to the comments section below to give us your thoughts.
