A video, which gained significant attention since 13/7, captured a BYD Tang dragging a large metal assembly under its rear bumper on a flooded street in Shenyang. Despite this, the Tang remained mobile and its lights functional. Many onlookers humorously remarked that the SUV was "giving birth."
On 14/7, a BYD Auto customer service representative informed Langzhang News by phone that the motor assembly detached because the vehicle "experienced a severe undercarriage impact" with an unseen obstacle in the floodwater. This damage, they stated, "resulted from a collision while wading through water, not an issue with manufacturing quality."
BYD's customer service department reported that vehicle operational data and the actual damage at the connection points confirm the rear electric motor assembly was torn from its support frame.
Initially, BYD's delay in issuing a statement after the incident sparked diverse public reactions.
BYD's explanation aligns with a warning issued by He Zhiqi, BYD executive vice president, on 8/7, just five days before the Shenyang incident. He had previously emphasized that while Blade batteries meet ip67 and ip68 waterproofing standards for emergency situations, users should not interpret this as permission to drive through deep water. He warned that unseen submerged rocks, curbs, and other obstacles could cause severe damage to the vehicle's undercarriage, even if the battery and high-voltage electrical system remain intact.
Earlier, media outlets also published safety warnings regarding water wading, particularly as numerous spontaneous relief convoys navigated flooded regions in mien Nam Trung Quoc.
As of now, BYD has not released an official technical report or detailed written inspection results.
The BYD Tang is a three-row SUV, offered in both plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and pure electric variants. The standard PHEV DM-i utilizes front-wheel drive, whereas higher-performance DM-p versions and the dual-motor pure electric variant feature all-wheel drive with a separate rear electric drivetrain, a configuration identical to the vehicle involved in the Shenyang incident.
Depending on the specific version, the SUV measures up to 4,905 mm in length, 1,950 mm in width, and 1,725 mm in height, with a 2,820 mm wheelbase. Premium variants include BYD's DiPilot 300 driver assistance system, powered by an Nvidia Drive Orin X processor and 12 GB of system memory, offering features such as highway navigation assistance. In Trung Quoc, the BYD Tang is priced from 239,900 yuan (35,500 USD).
My Anh (according to *CarNewsChina*)
