And drive along on three wheels like a Citroen DS.
Chinese automaker BYD announced a new e4 platform featuring its new group of active chassis and suspension technologies a week ahead of the Shanghai Auto Show and showed it off in spectacular fashion using its Yangwang U9 supercar debut. In the videos, BYD shows its luxury brand Yangwang U9 making all kinds of chassis moves, then hopping all four wheels off the ground.
The DiSus-X suspension system brings the separate systems together to allow the Yangwang U9 to hop all four wheels off the ground at once. Using all the systems at once with this much range of motion looks like overkill on a supercar, but when you start thinking about normal passenger vehicles, then high-riding trucks and SUVs, it starts making a lot of sense. It's not all about the range of motion, though. It's as much about the control.
https://twitter.com/bydglobal/status/1645445344455700481?s=61&t=ev_X_7ZadlqthyH71FwF2A
The three separate systems are:
- The Intelligent Damping Body Control System (DiSus-C).
- The Intelligent Air Body Control System (DiSus-A).
- The Intelligent Hydraulic Body Control System (DiSus-P).
When put together, they take complete control of the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical motions of the chassis. Used separately, they can focus on doing the job needed on a specific type of vehicle.
As an example, under sharp acceleration, deceleration, or high-speed cornering, the DiSus-P system can provide an instant 200% increase in stiffness and can lift each wheel independently or all four simultaneously. According to BYD, the system exists to reduce the “risk of vehicle rollover and reduce the displacement of occupants during high-speed cornering, full-throttle acceleration, or emergency braking.” The DiSus-P system will first appear on the “hardcore off-road” quad-motor Yangwang U8 SUV, where that ability to lift each wheel independently should pay off even further. Even a Range Rover hasn't got that kind of suspension technology.
https://twitter.com/bydglobal/status/1645447977320738816?s=61&t=nyZhfnMxHJ8_3leAFfuJ1Q
To give a use case for this kind of control well outside the typical range of motion even the most advanced suspension current cars on the road have, the second video released shows the Yangwang U9 rolling along on three wheels. That's a useful feature if a car has a puncture, but a car driving in a straight line on three wheels due to the suspension technology isn't new. However, cars like the legendary Citroen DS didn't have this kind of control over each corner of the vehicle. Or feature BYD's sensing technologies fused with “advanced deep intelligence.” Unfortunately, it will be a long time, if ever, before the Chinese automaker showcases this tech on US soil.
Keyword: Watch This 1,100-HP Electric Supercar Hop Like A Lowrider