BYD's Water-Driving SUV: Futuristic Concept or Real Innovation
A Look into the Future: A Yangwang U8
BYD China's top electric vehicle maker, has unveiled its Yangwang U8, an amphibious electric car that stretches the boundaries of traditional automobiles. The Yangwang U8 isn't only about performance or luxury, it's about challenging what's possible on the road, and off it.
With four electric motors that can be controlled independently, the BYD floating SUV is able to perform crab walks, tank turns and even navigate through the water using its wheels and achieving speeds three kilometers per hour (1.8 miles per hour) with "Emergency Float Mode."
Engineering Marvel: Can an electric car drive on water?
The U8's amphibious abilities aren't just an illusion; it's the product of careful engineering:
Independent wheel control: Every wheel runs an electric motor, which allows for the precise and efficient control crucial for water navigation.
Every wheel runs an electric motor, which allows for the precise and efficient control crucial for water navigation. Emergency float mode: If the vehicle senses the presence of deep waters, it turns on this mode and shuts down the engine and sealing windows and doors, opening the sunroof for emergency exits and adjusting your HVAC system.
If the vehicle senses the presence of deep waters, it turns on this mode and shuts down the engine and sealing windows and doors, opening the sunroof for emergency exits and adjusting your HVAC system. Advanced Suspension: The U8 has an innovative suspension that allows the vehicle to raise its height to aid in off-road and water navigation conditions.
Luxury Meets Electric SUV Innovation 2025
Outside of its amphibious capability beyond its amphibious capabilities, the Yangwang U8 doesn't compromise on luxurious features:
A spacious interior: With the long 5.3 meters the U8 has plenty of room, decorated with top materials such as wood veneers and nappa-leather.
With the long 5.3 meters the U8 has plenty of room, decorated with top materials such as wood veneers and nappa-leather. Advanced Information Tainment: The dashboard features numerous displays that include a 23.6-inch instrument panel and the 12.8-inch central touchscreen and the 23.6-inch display for the passenger. The rear passengers won't be disregarded, as they have additional screens and an audio system that has 22 speakers that enhances the enjoyment.
The dashboard features numerous displays that include a 23.6-inch instrument panel and the 12.8-inch central touchscreen and the 23.6-inch display for the passenger. The rear passengers won't be disregarded, as they have additional screens and an audio system that has 22 speakers that enhances the enjoyment. Cutting-edge technology: Features like a 70-inch augmented-reality head-up display, satellite phone integrated and thermographic camera will ensure that your U8 can be as technically modern as it is lavish.
Performance and Power
These tricks are eye-catching however they also demonstrate BYD's engineering expertise. BYD, which is a world leader in the field of EV batteries uses components like the E-Axle 8-in-1, which helps cut costs and increase efficiency, as was noted in an Japanese conference which saw experts bewildered by the low cost of production at BYD. It's not just a car, it's an electric SUV that floats and drives on water.
Under the bonnet BYD amphibious vehicle demo 2025 is a beast of a motor:
Hybrid Powertrain: It combines an 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and four electric motors The U8 boasts a staggering 1,200 horsepower. It can go from 100 km/h to 0 in only 3.6 seconds.
It combines an 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and four electric motors The U8 boasts a staggering 1,200 horsepower. It can go from 100 km/h to 0 in only 3.6 seconds. Incredible Range: With a fully charged tank and batteries that are charged, the U8 has an endurance of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) and is suitable for long trips with no frequent stops.
With a fully charged tank and batteries that are charged, the U8 has an endurance of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) and is suitable for long trips with no frequent stops. Off-road capabilities: Built to take on the wild The U8 can float through water as deep as 1.4 meters deep due to its snorkel-equipped Off-road Master Edition.
Safety First
Security is the most important factor for the U8's designs.
Security Features: To an Emergency Float Mode, the U8's smart systems can determine the depth of the water and adjust vehicle settings to suit, and also offer occupants with secure exit options.
To an Emergency Float Mode, the U8's smart systems can determine the depth of the water and adjust vehicle settings to suit, and also offer occupants with secure exit options. Advanced Driver Assistance: The U8 is fitted with advanced Level 2 driver assistance systems that are powered by Nvidia's Drive Orin chip that process information from 38 sensors, which include cameras, lidars and radars to provide the safety of drivers.
Market Reception and Future Prospects
Since its introduction in China in the latter half of 2023, Yangwang U8 has garnered significant media attention:
Sales figures as of the beginning of 2024, more than 3,600 units had been sold in China and the country, which suggests a high domestic demand.
The Global Launch: the U8 was introduced to the world in it's European debut in 2024 at the Geneva Motor Show, signaling BYD's intention to expand into international markets.
the U8 was introduced to the world in it's European debut in 2024 at the Geneva Motor Show, signaling BYD's intention to expand into international markets. Pricing Point: The price is estimated at $150,000 The U8 is positioned in the premium SUV category that competes with established brands, while providing distinctive features.
Conclusion
The BYD Yangwang U8 isn't just an idea or prototype, it's a real embodiment of cutting-edge automotive engineering. By seamlessly blending luxury performance, and cutting-edge BYD's new SUV sci-fi features such as amphibious capabilities, BYD has established an unprecedented standard in the SUV market.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Time of India
Forget Tesla: 76% of cars sold in this Asian country are electric, and it's not who you think
Nepal electric vehicle boom is turning heads worldwide as the Himalayan nation quietly becomes a global leader in EV adoption. With 76% of all new cars sold now electric, Nepal's smart use of hydroelectric power, affordable Chinese EVs, and strong government incentives have powered this dramatic shift. From slashing fuel imports to building a growing EV charging network, Nepal shows how developing countries can fast-track clean mobility. As EV sales skyrocket, Nepal's story is setting a new standard for sustainable transport. When most people think of electric vehicle (EV) leaders, countries like Norway or China come to mind. But a surprising contender is now turning heads worldwide: Nepal. Yes, the Himalayan nation has quietly pulled ahead in the EV game — with a staggering 76% of all new cars sold now electric . Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Nepal's EV sales cross 76% mark, outpacing global adoption rates Clean hydroelectric energy makes EVs super affordable to run Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads EV tax breaks give buyers a financial edge over petrol vehicles Chinese EVs dominate Nepal's roads with affordable and feature-rich options Nepal's growing EV charging network powers mass adoption Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads EV sales hit record highs with over 10,000 new units imported in a year National targets set the pace for a fully electric future 25% of all new vehicles to be electric by 2025 (already surpassed) (already surpassed) 90% of private cars and 60% of public vehicles electric by 2030 95% private and 90% public vehicle electrification by 2035 Challenges ahead: Policy changes and rural EV access need attention Electric buses and public transport are the next big focus No EV battery recycling or safety regulations yet in place Nepal's EV journey is a model for developing countries FAQs: Nepal is making headlines as one of the world's fastest-growing electric vehicle (EV) markets. With over 76% of all new passenger vehicle sales now electric, the small Himalayan nation has quietly positioned itself as a leader in EV adoption, outpacing global averages and even beating wealthy countries like Germany and the US. Powered by clean hydroelectric energy, smart policy moves, and affordable imports from Chinese EV giants like BYD, Nepal's story is a blueprint for how developing countries can leap into a clean transport the fiscal year 2024–25, more than three-quarters of all new cars sold in Nepal were electric. That's a staggering figure considering the global average for EV sales sits around 20–25%. Even more impressively,—such as small vans and pickups—sawfrom electric rapid EV adoption is turning Nepal into an unexpected yet powerful player in the electric mobility transition. What's driving this remarkable shift? Let's explore the key reasons behind Nepal's electric vehicle of Nepal's greatest natural assets is its hydropower. The country generates over, meaning it's already set up for a clean energy-powered transport nations reliant on fossil fuels, charging an EV in Nepal is not only environmentally friendly but also 15 times cheaper than refueling with petrol. For everyday Nepalis, this cost-saving is a affordability—paired with Nepal's aggressive import tax incentives—makes electric vehicles not only greener but also the smarter economic policy has played a central role in Nepal's EV success. In a bold move, Nepal introduced reduced import duties on electric vehicles, slashing the tax burden to as low as 40–60%. In contrast, petrol and diesel vehicles still face tax rates between 180–300%.This policy flip has helped make EVs more accessible than ever. In fact, several popular electric models—like the Hyundai Kona Electric or Chinese-made SUVs—are now cheaper than their petrol counterparts in the Nepali to these incentives, EVs are no longer niche or luxury items in Nepal—they are rapidly becoming the default vehicle electric vehicle brands, especially BYD and Neta, have captured an estimated 70–80% of Nepal's EV import market. Their vehicles are praised for being affordable, reliable, and loaded with tech features that match or beat Western models like the BYD Dolphin or Tata Nexon EV (from India) have also become popular choices for city drivers, while premium SUVs like the BYD Atto 3 are rising among families looking for larger and longer-range flood of high-quality but budget-friendly Chinese EVs has been a crucial factor in Nepal's record-breaking EV reason for Nepal's EV boom is the development of its national charging infrastructure. As of mid-2025, the government and private companies have installed over 60 public charging stations, with many more being added across Kathmandu Valley and highway at home is also becoming popular, especially as the cost of residential EV charging is significantly lower than public petrol rural areas still face some access challenges, the growing number of chargers across the country has given drivers confidence that switching to electric won't limit their just the first 10 months of fiscal 2024–25, Nepal imported—a massive jump from previous years. This surge is not just good news for sustainability; it's also great for the importing EVs instead of petrol vehicles, Nepal is saving billions in fuel import costs while also reducing air pollution in congested cities like EVs also mean higher revenue from customs duties, as electric car sales continue to rise and replace fossil-fuel vehicles on the is not stopping at just 76%. The government has outlined bold EV targets in its updated climate action plan (NDC 3.0):These targets align with Nepal's goal of becoming a net-zero country by 2045, and EV transformation is a big piece of that the progress, Nepal's EV revolution isn't without roadblocks. In 2025, the government increased custom and excise duties on EVs, raising costs for buyers and prompting concern among dealers and the same time, changes to financing rules—cutting loan-to-value ratios from 80% to 60%—have made it harder for some buyers to afford new addition, charging infrastructure is still sparse in rural areas, and electric buses and trucks haven't scaled fast enough to clean up public transport or commercial stable policy support and further infrastructure investment, the EV boom could slow in the years private EV ownership has surged, public transportation in Nepal is still catching up. Only a small number of electric buses operate in Kathmandu, mostly through the Sajha Yatayat cooperative, which runs around 40 EV say Nepal needs at least 800 electric buses to make a serious dent in pollution and congestion across major cities. However, limited subsidies and high upfront costs remain public EVs—especially in mass transit—will be essential for making Nepal's EV shift both inclusive and EV journey is happening at an impressive pace, but its ecosystem is still incomplete. There is no national battery recycling system, posing future environmental risks once older EVs safety standards and quality checks for imported EVs also remain weak or inconsistent, raising concerns about long-term durability and Nepal to become a mature EV market, it will need to strengthen after-sales service networks, recycling policies, and technical standards across the its economic challenges and mountainous terrain, Nepal is proving that EV adoption is possible—and scalable—even in developing focusing on clean energy, smart incentives, and affordable imports, Nepal is reducing fuel dependency, slashing emissions, and giving its citizens access to cleaner, cheaper current momentum continues—with stable policies, better infrastructure, and attention to public transit—Nepal could become one of the world's first countries to fully electrify its vehicle fleet by the Nepal offers low EV import taxes, hydro-powered electricity, and affordable Chinese 76% of new cars sold in Nepal are electric in 2025.
News18
a day ago
- News18
Sri Lanka customs detains nearly 1,000 Chinese EVs over excise tax dispute
Colombo, Jul 30 (PTI) Nearly 1,000 electric vehicles (EVs) from Chinese manufacturer BYD are being held at Sri Lanka Customs over suspected undervaluation of motor power to reduce excise duty, officials told the parliamentary oversight committee on Wednesday. The vehicles, imported by John Keells Group, the official BYD agent in Sri Lanka, are under investigation for allegedly declaring motor power as 100 kilowatts (kW), whereas the actual power output is reportedly 150 kW. The misdeclaration could result in a significant tax difference — 1.4 million Sri Lankan rupees in duty for 100 kW versus 5.4 million Sri Lankan rupees for 150 kW. Speaking before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), its chairman Harsha de Silva called for independent verification by an internationally accredited agency. 'This is an issue between two countries", de Silva said and referenced a 2022 dispute in which China rejected Sri Lanka's quality testing of what it alleged was a contaminated fertiliser shipment and secured a favourable report from Singapore, forcing Colombo to pay compensation. Customs officials, who had detained the consignment on July 28, attributed delays in the investigation to a lack of support from the John Keells group. In a statement, John Keells Group denied any deliberate misleading of Sri Lanka Customs to lower the excise tax. 'The motor power of these vehicles has been verified through test reports issued by BYD in China and further certified by an independent testing body", the company clarified. The issue comes amid a surge in EV imports after Sri Lanka lifted a five-year ban in February 2025 due to the Covid pandemic, and Sri Lanka's economic crisis on vehicle imports. BYD quickly emerged as a dominant player, capturing nearly 90 per cent of the EV market and over 10 per cent of overall car sales by May, according to industry estimates. PTI CORR SKS NPK NPK view comments First Published: July 30, 2025, 19:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Can China save South Africa from Donald Trump?
SOUTH AFRICA is a country with a dark past and a frustrating present. In such a society, to represent the future is a glorious thing. For many South Africans, China holds the keys to a better tomorrow. To its admirers, China represents a timely alternative to a West that is turning inwards, cutting aid and tightening border controls. If America imposes 30% tariffs on South Africa on August 1st, as it says it will, their country has options, they say. China long ago overtook America as South Africa's largest trading partner, with two-way trade growing 25-fold this century. A Chinese maker of electric cars, BYD, is said to be scouting for South African factory sites. Public opinion is marked by racial divides. Asked by the Social Research Foundation, a think-tank, whether Russia and China provide more investment and jobs than America and the EU, 59% of black South Africans agreed, but only 34% of whites. Geopolitics inspires more caution. Asked whether South Africa should pursue anti-Western foreign policies aligned with China, Iran and Russia, 41% of black respondents and 12% of whites said yes. A narrow majority of all said no. In Johannesburg boardrooms and Cape Town cafés where politicians gossip and scheme, there is agreement about China's importance and alarm at lopsided trade. South Africa exports mainly raw materials and minerals to China while importing manufactured and capital goods, running a trade deficit of $9.7bn in 2023. Diplomatically, South Africa has moved away from a tradition of non-aligned pragmatism. It now often backs Chinese positions in the BRICS, the G20, the UN and other forums. But centrist politicians and business leaders reject the notion, heard on the left of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), that closer alignment with China avoids the need to mend fences with the West. South Africa's relations with America, notably, are at their worst since apartheid ended. President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have threatened sanctions for some invented crimes, starting with what Mr Trump falsely claims is a genocidal campaign, egged on by South African officials, to kill white farmers and take their land. But real disputes have soured relations, too. These touch on everything from South Africa's sponsorship of genocide charges against Israel at the International Court of Justice, to its commercial and diplomatic ties with Russia and Iran. Relations with Europe have also been frosty in recent years, says a Western envoy, though the EU is currently wooing South Africa as a swing state in the global south. In his capacity as agriculture minister, John Steenhuisen sees 'huge opportunity for South Africa in China', with farmers eager to sell citrus fruit, wine and nuts to Chinese city-dwellers. But as the leader of the Democratic Alliance, a business-friendly party in coalition with the ANC, Mr Steenhuisen says: 'Those who think we can say goodbye to the West and look at China haven't checked the numbers.' He notes that 75% of foreign investment to South Africa is from America, Britain and the EU, which will be hard to replace 'in the short and medium term'. Morris Mthombeni, dean of the University of Pretoria's Gordon Institute of Business Science, calls it 'naive' to think that South Africa can afford to lose its trade with the West. China buys large volumes of commodities, but 'in terms of diversity of trade, the West is more important. Trade with China and with the US are not substitutable.' A researcher at the China-Global South Project, Cobus van Staden, sees ideological affinity guiding some ANC politicians. As veterans of a liberation movement with Marxist roots, they admire China's Communist Party for combining economic growth with central planning and a big state-owned sector. 'The problem is that China builds that on top of a hugely competent technocracy, which isn't the case in South Africa,' he notes. Modern-day Chinese party cadres are more entrepreneurial than South African bureaucrats. 'The line you hear from Chinese diplomats is they would like to do more with South Africa, but they find it over-regulated. They're frustrated at the number of hoops they have to jump through,' reports Mr van Staden. For that matter, it is common to hear South Africans frustrated at the reluctance of Chinese firms to transfer technologies and high-value skills when they open factories in South Africa, or to promote Africans to senior positions. In his embassy in Pretoria, its design a nod to grey-walled Chinese courtyard mansions, China's ambassador, Wu Peng, denies that his government imposes any 'artificial technical barriers' to technology transfers by companies. On the contrary, he says, China encourages firms to bring capital, technology and skilled personnel to South Africa, for instance in such fields as automobiles, batteries, renewable energy and pharmaceuticals. Yet conditions must be ripe. 'You cannot reach industrialisation in one day. You need your economic structure to be more competitive,' advises the ambassador. China's model of modernisation holds 'strong appeal' for many African countries, Mr Wu avers. But China 'never, ever' lectures African governments about the best path to take. China: not a trump card against Trump South Africa's dysfunction and red tape (eg, rules requiring ownership stakes for non-whites) harm it. Because electricity is so expensive and unreliable, it is profitable to mine chromium ore in South Africa and ship it to China for smelting, laments Songezo Zibi, the head of a small centrist party, Rise Mzansi. He describes China's current relationship with his country as 'unhelpfully extractive', urging South Africa to seek deeper, more sustainable ties with both China and the West. Bluntly, there is no magic China solution. Hard reforms are needed, as well as balanced foreign relations. Otherwise, whether the future is Chinese or not, South Africa will be left behind. Subscribers to The Economist can sign up to our Opinion newsletter, which brings together the best of our leaders, columns, guest essays and reader correspondence.
