Chinese automaker BYD is turning everything you think you know about what a car is capable of upside down. Its Yangwang U9 electric supercar can literally jump 20 feet over obstacles in the road, according to New Atlas.
Don't believe it? See the acrobatics for yourself.
If there's one thing people assume about cars, it's that they are heavy and cannot leave the ground. BYD has tossed all that out the window in the creation of this $236,000 electric vehicle — which marked an entrance into high-end markets for a company that is otherwise well-known for more affordable EVs.
The U9 packs a ton of horsepower that helps it accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 2.36 seconds. That's probably faster than it took you to read this sentence.
This EV is also lightning quick — it can whip around a racetrack at 243 mph — and is extremely agile. Its suspension design allows it to do bunny hops, drive on three wheels, and spin in a tight circle, all of which were already documented, per New Atlas.
Yet taking flight over obstacles is a new trick for the 5,500-pound vehicle. During its leapfrogging, it successfully cleared an 8-foot pothole with a total jump of 20 feet and then handled 13 feet of 1.4-inch spikes and a patch of colorful chalk like it was nothing.
The kicker? All of this was achieved completely autonomously — nobody was even inside the vehicle, New Atlas explained.
Now, you might be thinking, "Why on earth would I need a car that jumps?"
Aside from marketing, more practical uses do exist. The ability to get low could help make highway driving more efficient, and popping up higher could be useful for avoiding scrapes on driveways and speed bumps.
The overall stability of the vehicle that makes extreme stunts possible also means it handles accelerating, braking, and turning at any speed safely and smoothly. It can float on water, which could definitely come in handy in an emergency, New Atlas reported.
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Cost 💰 The U9 EV isn't available in the U.S. yet, and at the end of the day, it surpasses most people's car needs anyway. But its extraordinary abilities just go to show the groundbreaking innovations that are possible with electric cars.
World-class technology is available in plenty of other budget-friendly EVs. Driving one means you'll never need the gas pump again, which takes the edge off your monthly bills, too. Plus, with no planet-warming tailpipe pollution to worry about, you can drive in peace, knowing you're doing the environment a solid.
"Not gonna lie. That's some James Bond car moves," one YouTube commenter wrote on the stunt video.
"Very impressive BYD," another added.
"Best bank robbery car ever!" a third joked.
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