Even budget Chinese EV brands are getting in on the sideways parking act with game-changing digital chassis tech.
Chinese EV maker Baojun, sister brand to Wuling, has shown its Tianyu four-wheel intelligent drive technology on Chinese social media, opening the door to city driving convenience like never before.
The budget brand, famous for the Yep miniature wannabe SUV and space-age Kiwi microcar, surprised everyone this weekend by pulling out the kind of tech you expect to see on high-end premium EVs like Yangwang, Denza, and IM.
The video, which you can see below, showcases the platform’s ability to rotate each wheel by a full 90-degrees, in exactly the way Hyundai’s Mobis technology division demonstrated last year.
This ability enables the Yep to spin in place on the spot, drift diagonally across lanes, and park directly into parallel spaces, without shredding rubber off its tyres like the Yangwang U8 and Mercedes-Benz G-Class do. Take a look.
Not much else was revealed about the technology, including details such as when it might be adopted by their road cars or how much it might cost, but the mere suggestion it might be coming is enough to get us excited about the possibilities.
Wuling and Baojun, both parts of General Motors’ Chinese operations, are well known for their democratisation of electric technology and are responsible for helping tens of thousands of motorists get their first taste of driving freedom thanks to cars like the Wuling Hongguang Mini and Baojun Yep that cost as little as RMB32,800, or £3,500 / $4,600.
That they might be about to do the same with the kind of tech found on cars worth four or five times as much truly shows that nothing is beyond the limits of Chinese automotive innovation at this point, and 2025 could be a very interesting year indeed if more brands follow suit.
2 Responses
Hi Mark
Absolutely wonderful concept which Hyundai have dabbled in with their “Crab Mode”, and now the Baojun Tianyu looks like it too is using hub motors to get a similar level of articulation. Hopefully this technology will gain acceptance as it obviates the need for drivetrain technology and consequently simplifies the suspension system.
Nice website by the way only just discovered it. Cool in China now I understand.
Regards from Australia.
Hi Geoffrey. Great to have you here. This is a cool creation and one that could revolutionise city driving and parking if done right. I hope these guys pull it off and bring it to the masses.