BYD has provided an explanation for the electric motor hanging out of the back of a Tang SUV that went viral on Chinese social media last week.
What Happened to the SUV?
Last week, Chinese social media lit up over footage and photos of a BYD Tang EV making its way down a road in Shenyang during a heavy downpour. The part that drew attention was the electric motor hanging out of the back of the SUV, still attached to the car but no longer part of it in any meaningful sense. The vehicle appears to be moving under its own power, relying on the front motor for forward momentum. Read: Chery Scrambles To Fix Omoda 5 After Rear Axle Snaps Off In Malaysia This immediately prompted speculation that the Tang’s electric motor had fallen out by chance because of the slightly flooded road. Ordinary passenger vehicles shouldn’t be driven in flash floods, but at least in the video, water on the road doesn’t appear to be any more than an inch or two deep, so it’d be strange if this had somehow led to the motor falling out.
According to BYD, the Tang’s motor didn’t fall out after coming into contact with water. It claims the SUV suffered “a severe underbody collision” as the driver waded through the flood water, which was presumably deeper before anyone started filming or snapping photos of the vehicle. Footage shows the rear motor dangling from the vehicle by a single orange high-voltage cable, with part of the motor’s housing snapped off from the underside of the SUV. A close-up photo shared online by CarNewsChina indicates that part of the motor’s housing snapped off from the underside of the SUV, and it was only left connected by a single, orange high-voltage cable.
It’s believed that the Tang in question, which BYD sells in plug-in hybrid and all-electric guises, was one of the dual-motor EV models, and it appears to still be operational after the motor fell out, relying on the front one for forward momentum.
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BYD says it reached out to the owner after the incident and inspected the vehicle. The company did not provide further details on the specific model or year of the affected car.
The Broader Context
Chinese carmakers have spent the last decade dismantling their reputation for cheap, poorly built cars, and by most measures they’ve succeeded. Every so often, though, something surfaces that gives the old stereotype another day in the sun. The BYD incident is one such moment, raising questions about the durability of modern electric vehicles under extreme stress.
For the owner’s sake, we hope their insurer will pay to have the motor replaced, as buying a new one and fitting it wouldn’t be cheap. The incident highlights the risks of driving through unknown floodwaters, regardless of the vehicle’s make or model.