Yangwang U8 History

The Yangwang U8 was publicly revealed on January 5, 2023, as the inaugural model of BYD's ultra-luxury Yangwang sub-brand, and went on sale in China on April 18, 2023. Built on a body-on-frame platform, it pairs a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol range-extender engine — which does not drive the wheels — with four 220 kW (295 hp) electric motors, one at each corner, for a combined system output of 880 kW (1,180 hp). The starting price at launch was ¥1,098,000 (approximately US$150,000), placing it squarely against Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

The U8's most-discussed technical features stem from BYD's e⁴ individual wheel drive (IWD) platform. Because each wheel is driven by its own motor independently, the vehicle can perform 359-degree tank turns in place, crab sideways, and continue moving on three wheels if one motor fails. The DiSus active suspension can raise ride height by 15 cm for serious off-roading, and a claimed wading depth of up to 1,400 mm (Off-road Master trim) is backed by an 'emergency floating mode' — the vehicle can reportedly stay buoyant for up to 30 minutes at 3 km/h on still water with the suspension raised. A 49.05 kWh LFP Blade battery gives 180 km of pure-electric CLTC range; total claimed range on a full tank is approximately 1,000 km (CLTC).

A long-wheelbase variant, the U8L, was announced in September 2025 at a launch price of ¥1,280,000, adding three-row seating and a 200 mm stretch in the wheelbase for improved rear-cabin space. The standard U8 remained in production alongside it.