BYD and its brands show their mettle in China proving ground
By Pablo Salapantan
AS EVERY wise person will tell you, if you’re looking at getting a new car, actually testing it on the road is the only way to confirm how it will perform as a daily driver. However, when it comes to more rigorous or extreme performance, we usually rely on the manufacturer’s word. In rare cases, we’re actually able to witness extreme tests or be able to drive these cars in various conditions.
Such was the case during my latest trip to China with BYD, where the brand made its cars walk the talk, so to speak.
BYD Philippines hosted a rather sizeable delegation of media and content creators for a trip to the brand’s stomping ground in China. We first made a stop at BYD’s global headquarters in Shenzhen, then flew to the simultaneously historic and modern city of Zhengzhou to experience both the Di-Space New Energy Museum, and the state-of-the-art testing ground, the BYD Zhengzhou All-Terrain Circuit located on the outskirts of the city.
When we arrived at the proving ground, we were immediately greeted by the brand-spanking-new facility, which opened just last Aug. 14.
A massive main lobby doubles as a showroom for BYD vehicles. On this floor is a coffee shop, a drive simulator area, a gift shop, and a few conference rooms. We made our way to one of the rooms to get a lowdown on the activities that we’d be partaking in. This excited us more as we were told we are the first media contingent from Asia-Pacific to tour this new facility.
SHOWCASE AT ZHENGZHOU
After being assigned to smaller groups, our first stop was the off-road showcase. During this activity, we witnessed the Yangwang (a BYD brand) U8 SUV climb a steep sandy incline. We watched in awe as the U8 made easy work of it without a hint of difficulty or strain, even with some members of our delegation aboard.
The next showcase for the U8 highlighted its very famous (and viral) Emergency Float Mode capability. With this mode on, we watched the U8 traverse deep water in a pool with people on board and, truth be told, no matter how many times they do it, one simply can’t get used to the image of seeing a massive SUV — and an electric vehicle at that — float in water without any issue. It’s a major feat, probably the most astonishing feature I’ve ever seen.
Up next for us was a track experience with the Yangwang U9 which recently gained fame by becoming the fastest production car in world — topping 496kph. That was the U9 Xtreme variant. The “garden variety” which we experienced was a more subdued version but still boasted more than 1,200hp on tap. Coming into this activity I expected to be able to properly deal with the G-force given that I race on the track from time to time. But no matter how much you try to prepare, your body will be shocked by the sheer force of instant acceleration and speed.
It boggles the mind how in this day and age 1,200hp can be somewhat considered normal, especially since the U9 is a production vehicle. I also have to commend the brand for making the U9 feel like a true hypercar. Even as the driver pushed the car hard around the track, the U9 handled it pretty well.
Next up, we sampled the mini-off-road track next to the sandy incline area. In this part, I opted to be a passenger again aboard the Fangchengbao Bao 5 model, a car of another BYD sub-brand yet to make its Philippine debut. I must say that experiencing the Bao 5 with its DMO technology is quite impressive. The instructor pointed out how easy it is to flip through the various off-road modes, and could make someone who isn’t as experienced like me comfortable off the beaten path.
Our last two activities are my highlights though. First, we were given the chance to drift a Denza (another BYD sub-brand) wagon around a “low-friction circle” that was being continuously sprayed with water. Now I’m not capable of drifting on my own, or have I ever done it, so it was very interesting to drive on a surface that purposely induced drifting. The amazing part is that the Denza AWD wagon has a Drift mode. When engaged, it actually gave me the opportunity to drift properly. With a few inputs to the throttle and steering, I felt like a pro.
Completing our track experience was a gymkhana activity. We were given a chance to drive the Seal AWD EV and Tang DM-i around a makeshift course littered with cones simulating a slalom area. I thoroughly enjoyed driving both vehicles despite their being polar opposites in form and function. Both were impressive and enjoyable.
HUMBLE BRAG
After spending a whole day immersing myself in various BYD vehicles over different surfaces, I can say that I finally get why the brand is so successful. Our whole day at this world-class facility put forward a theme of “letting the cars speak for the brand.”
There was never a moment of pandering or hard selling; we were basically asked to just experience every single product available for testing at the facility. Each time we did, everything went smoothly sans hiccups or errors. Each car at its respective areas was able to perform beyond expectations.
Unlike some Chinese brands, BYD doesn’t need to shove marketing terms and brand rhetoric down our throats to wow or awe us. It simply lets us sit in or drive its cars — the ultimate mic drop, a true humble brag.
