Don’t try this with a Landie!

[Freeforester]

Though I’m by no means an aficionado of 4x4s as such, over the years I’ve driven for the most part Subaru Outbacks with happy results, Land Rovers (- Defender types) and and a Range Rover, the latter frankly best forgotten about. Nor am I any great proponent of EV’s in the conventional sense, though I can see merit in some forms of personal last mile and shortish journey ebikes, scooters and electric unicycles which all free up a lot of road space and are efficient.

This being said, I was impressed with this demonstration of the ‘Chinese Disco’, the BYD U8



I know enough to understand that water and electricity shouldn’t mix, so I find the technology built in and in show here all the more impressive. Does the U stand for Underwater, Unreliable, or Unique?

ps - I wouldn’t recommend trying this with any current LR offering without removal of carpets and donning of chest waders!

pps - would it not be fairest to have vehicle taxing not by class of vehicle but rather by weight and thereby how much wear the vehicle does to the road surface? Potholes are mainly exacerbated by heavier vehicles, if not actually caused by them in every instance?

 

[B&W FOX]

I went through a flood in the Hilux and a Tesla followed me through.
I was gobsmacked.

 

[willie_gunn]

Mightily impressive! Did they post any film of what the interior looked like afterwards?

 

[csl]

I know enough to understand that water and electricity shouldn’t mix, so I find the technology built in and in show here all the more impressive.

Salt water yes, fresh (pure) water not so much... and there was a hell of a stream of water coming out afterwards. Granted, it was: stay dry/float/can't steer vs. get wet/sink/steer so well done on that!

 

[nuge]

Impressive. But was waiting on the usual defender d2 door open at the end to let the water out. Disappointed he didn't do it

 

[kenbro]

Anyone can prep a car to drive through some water!

 

[HonestJohn]

Thought perhaps I’d open the post and see a car driving down the motorway…,

 

[JockStalk]

I can imagine the landie version.
Large crowd. Expectant pause.
Driver can’t get it to start.
Eventually runs battery flat trying.
Handbrake doesn’t hold and it gradually rolls into water until totally submerged.
No one can see through oil slick to bottom of pool.
Once boredom sets in, the crowd disperses.
Divers check vehicle, no sign of drivers body.
All doors locked closed.
Vehicle winched back to poolside.
Driver shows up sometime later to get paid.
Escaped through generous gap in door seal fit.

 

[Overlay]

real Impressive bit of kit, now, just to find a steel launching pad and some non salt water

100% spot on real time advertising for a car company

 

[Yorkie]

Jeremy Clarkson once commented on the Discovery, 'The panel gaps are so large you do not have to actually open the door to get out'.

 

[Heym SR20]

It’s not that difficult to make batteries, electronic controls waterproof and wiring looms completely waterproof. Been done on military vehicles and boats for a long time. It requires a little more thought and design that landrover spade end connection.

Electric motors - very much depends on the architecture and cooling systems. Many of the electric propulsion motors are already oil cooled, so are a sealed unit. The challenge is the output shaft and and appropriate seal. But really a car going through wading depth is not a lot of pressure. Much more challenging are pod motors on deep subsea vehicles.

It is probably quite a bit easier than a traditional internal combustion engine and gearbox type drive trains where there is a requirement for breathers on gearboxes and diffs and of course air going into the engine.

 

[Donkey Basher]

It's a really poor resolution clip but let's see that Chinese junk do this then...

(Junk - do you get it... )

 

[nun_hunter]

Pretty sure I saw an interview with the Ford CEO who had one of these Chinese SUVs on trial to see what the competition were producing. He wanted to see if the old feeling of Chinese cars were just junk was true. He said after a couple of months of using it he didn't want to give it back as it was so good.

 

[The Singing Stalker]

The new motorbikes from China are pretty damn good. They have come a long way.