BYD Sub-brand’s U8 SUV to Start Pre-Sale in April

BYD’s high-end brand Yangwang held a media communication meeting on February 21 to further show its technology platform named e⁴, which takes the independent drive of four motors as its core focus.

e⁴ is the latest technology system created by BYD after DM-i hybrid, e-platform 3.0 and cell-to-body (CTB) battery integration. Lu Guoxiang, technical director of e⁴, introduced that this system shows technical reconstruction in three important ways: perception, control and execution.

In terms of perception, e⁴ can obtain real-time dynamics of the four wheels through its wheel motor, and combine them with intelligent driving sensors such as camera, lidar and millimeter wave radar to provide data for better control and execution.

In the control link, the e⁴ adopts the architecture of combining a central computing platform with a domain controller, and realizes the integration of vehicle sensors and controllers through high bandwidth Ethernet.

At the level of execution, the e⁴ is equipped with a four-motor drive architecture, with a maximum horsepower of over 1,100, a maximum speed of 20500rpm and a 0-100km acceleration of only three seconds.

According to the official video, the U8 off-road SUV, Yangwang’s first model, will incorporate the ability to turn around in situ, water-proofing, tire burst control on the high-speed railway, and other advanced features. Lu pointed out that turning around in situ is the best embodiment of the e⁴’s technical potential. Different from the similar functions provided by Amercian EV maker Rivian and other car companies, Yangwang’s models can do agile steering and turning around, especially on high-attached roads.

SEE ALSO: BYD Unveils Two Models Under High-End Yangwang Brand

The U8 vehicle and its core components are all waterproof. However, Yangwang emphasized that this car is not an amphibious model, and the emergency floating function in water is designed to last for only 30 minutes.

At this event, the official showed the U8, but this car will be fine-tuned when it finally goes on the market. According to the official timetable, the U8 will be pre-sold at the Shanghai Auto Show in April, and the official listing time may be Q2 or Q3 this year.