BYD took advantage of the Geneva Motor Show to present its Yangwang U8, a luxury plug-in hybrid SUV capable of floating in the event of an accident in the water.
As detailed by Forbes, the unit has an approximate weight of 3.5 metric tons, the model can also park sideways like a crab or perform a complete turn on the spot thanks to four electric motors, one on each wheel.
BYD‘s marketing manager in France, Guillaume Calvar, told Reuters news agency that the vehicle could perhaps reach certain European markets with limited distribution, but not necessarily exactly in its current form.
At the moment, the SUV is only on sale in China, although BYD does not rule out exporting it to other markets.
Sales Leader
BYD said that as of the end of January it had sold a total of 3,653 units of the U8, which is priced at $152,550 in China, since it began deliveries in November.
The automaker also unveiled the Yangwang U9 supercar in China on Sunday and opened pre-orders with a starting price of 1.68 million yuan.
Reuters notes that BYD has not yet decided whether it will market its Yangwang luxury brand in the old continent. For now, the company is focused on its BYD electric and hybrid range and the launch of its premium Denza brand.
