BYD, the world’s largest EV manufacturer, took the stage to unveil its new e4 quad-motor platform for performance vehicles, the first of which – a massive 5-meter electric offroad SUV and a fast hypercar – will be released under the newly minted Yangwang brand. Unlike gas-powered AWD solutions, the e4 platform enables for separate torque and vectoring adjustments of each wheel down to the millisecond period, boosting stability, grip, and offroad capabilities.
The Yangwang U8 SUV displayed this as it entered the stage in a crabwalk fashion, and in the event of a tyre explosion, the three remaining wheels may alter their torque many times per second until the vehicle comes to a safe halt. Given the scarcity of truly off-road electric SUVs, the U8 might become a one-of-a-kind offering with its 18-foot-long body that can still turn on a dime thanks to the wheel motors’ independent torque vectoring.
The BYD SUV will first be sold for the equivalent of US$145,000.
The U9 hypercar, on the other hand, appears to be in the idea stage, but the e4 quad-motor platform, which may otherwise deliver up to 1,100 HP, will allow it to stop from 100 km/h in 40 metres even if both the brakes and the steering wheel are inoperable.
In addition to all of that independence, the new BYD drivetrain will be water-resistant, with IP68 certification, providing cars built on it with flotation qualities in emergency scenarios. The platform can produce up to 20,500 revolutions per minute, allowing the hefty U8 SUV to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in under four seconds, while the nimbler hypercar could accelerate in less than three seconds. The e4 vehicles will be offered through specific dealers and channels, but BYD is keeping the exact U8 delivery date under wraps for the time being.
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