BYD is heavily marketing its Disus-X suspensions in China, which debuted on its supercar Yangwang U9 in 2024. Shenzhen-based automaker demonstrates that suspension allows cars to dance, jump over road obstacles, or drive on three wheels. The marketing effort is backfiring as many drivers try it in regular road traffic.
A recent video on Chinese social media shows Yangwang U9 on the street, gathering large crowds as it performs a dance, moving from back and forth while blocking traffic, and a Nio ES6 driver behind it.
In the background, we can hear a police siren. However, the driver doesn’t give it much attention and continues his performance until the police car reaches him. After that, the dancing ends, and the driver slowly leaves. Other social media users then share pictures of U9 parked a dozen meters away while the driver receives a traffic fine from the police.
In the next video, the driver wants to jump over a speed bumper. We can see the car lower as he approaches the obstacle. However, it is late, and the car only jumps after crossing the bumper.
This is nothing new for the Yangwang brand as a similar situation happened when BYD launched its Yangwang U8 hard-core SUV with floating mode. Hundreds of videos of drivers sailing rivers across China with open windows flooding Chinese social media, despite BYD warning it is only for emergencies and the car needs to visit a dealer after the mode is activated. Some of those Yangwang’s owners’ tests didn’t go as planned.
Yangwang is part of BYD’s effort to move upmarket aside from BYD-badged mass-market cars. In recent years, they launched three new brands focused on premium EVs: Denza, initially a joint venture with Mercedes-Benz, Fang Cheng Bao, and the most expensive Yangwang.
Yangwang U9 supercar was launched in February 2024 for 1.68 million yuan (236,000 USD) with an acceleration of 0-100km/h in 2.36 seconds, with an LFP battery.
It is powered by four e-motors with a combined output of 960 kW (1287 hp) and 1680 Nm peak torque. The electricity is stored in 80 kW BYD’s LFP battery with 80 kW capacity, good for a 465 km range under CLTC conditions.
In November, U9 achieved 7:17.9 Nürburgring lap. Last week, BYD shared a video of U9 jumping over road spikes and potholes without a driver behind the wheel, showcasing the capabilities of its in-house developed Disus-X suspension system.
Yangwang will launch its third car, the U7 premium sedan, this year. The presales started in November 2024 without revealing the final price, which is expected to be around 1 million yuan (136,000 USD). Yangwang U7 is expected to be the first EV featuring BYD’s Blade battery 2.0, and based on homologation fillings, we can expect the plug-in hybrid version to hit the roads as well.
