Getting first dibs on a new facility is rare for us, but that’s exactly what we experienced during our recent trip to China with BYD Auto. We, together with other media personnel from the Philippines, were privileged to be the first media group from our region to visit the Zhengzhou All-Terrain Circuit, which opened in August of this year. This facility is the first of its kind, specifically made for BYD’s New Energy Vehicles.
It has several zones: Indoor Sand Dune, Low-Friction Ring, Kick-Plate, Wading Pool, Dynamic Paddock, Race Track, and an Off-Road Park. The facility offers areas that test the different features of BYD’s lineup.
Indoor Sand Dune
After a safety briefing, our large group split into two smaller groups. Our first stop was the Indoor Sand Dune – a 29.6-meter-tall, well, “sand dune” at a 28-degree incline. It has 6,200 tons of sand and is certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s highest and largest dune-climbing facility for vehicular testing. BYD test drivers demonstrated the Yangwang U8 SUV’s ability to easily handle loose sand up and down the slope.
Wading Pool
Our next stop was essentially a large swimming pool that you could drive into. The Wading Pool is seventy meters long and about two meters at its deepest. It can simulate floods and river crossings to test the waterproofing of electric motors and batteries. This time, they used it to show us how the Yangwang U8 can cross water and stay afloat and water-tight for about 30 minutes.
Low-Friction Circle
This forty-four-meter-diameter circular track is lined with a smooth surface and a sprinkler system that maintains 3mm of water on the surface, ensuring a constant friction similar to that of ice and snow. This was where we had fun using the Denza Z9 GT’s drift mode. And at the same time, show that BYD’s intelligent body control can help maintain traction.
Kick-Plate
This area is for simulating grip loss and also taking evasive maneuvers on a slippery surface. Here we experienced the BYD Song L EV’s handling as it was driven onto a wet surface, where all four wheels lost grip, regained traction, and then maneuvered around simulated walls.
Dynamic Paddock
This large open rectangular area is 15,300 square meters of asphalt, perfect for gym-khana. All that’s needed are a few cones, and you’ve got yourself a course that can put handling and braking to the test. We got to try a different vehicle here: the Seal, Tang DM-i, and BYD eMAx 9.
Race Track
This is a 1.758km high-speed race track, with nine corners. This may seem short on paper, but when we took a “taxi” ride in the Yangwang U9, the straight allowed us to reach almost 200 kilometers per hour.
Off-Road Park
This area, located behind the indoor sand dune, is for simulated off-road testing, featuring features that put the BYD SUV’s off-road capabilities to the test without the dirt and mud. Manicured grass, hills, and engineered undulations in cement mimic different off-road terrain conditions, making for all-weather off-road fun. This was where we got to try out the premium mid-sized FangChengBao B5 SUV. Which had an easy time of it
Our thoughts
All in all, it was a fun day at BYD’s Zhengzhou All-Terrain Circuit. We would have wanted to stay longer and spend more time with the vehicles, especially the Yangwang U9. This facility is perfect, allowing one to put BYD’s New Energy Vehicles through their paces, both for product development and for customers to see how BYD vehicles’ features work in a controlled environment.
Usually, vehicle testing is serious stuff, but when you come to a place like this, driving vehicles with advanced technologies, you can’t help but imagine how much fun it can be.
