BYD Yangwang U8L Frame Passes 12 Ton Lifting Test, Weight Down 56 Kg

Hantek and BYD developed a special casting machine to make a large aluminum frame on the Yangwang U8L. (Photo: CarNewsChina)

JAKARTA - BYD revealed new details of the one-piece aluminum frame on the Yangwang U8L. The luxury SUV is claimed to have passed a 12-ton lift test and the weight of the vehicle has dropped by 56 kg.

Citing a report from CarNewsChina, Tuesday, June 2, this frame began to be developed in 2023. BYD partnered with Hantek, a supplier with an aerospace manufacturing background, to make China's largest automotive integrated casting machine.

Integrated casting is the process of printing many frame parts into one large component. In U8L, this structure uses an aluminum cast of 4.2 square meters, with wall thicknesses of 4 mm to 50 mm.

According to BYD engineers, the goal is to make a large vehicle frame that is lighter, stronger, corrosion resistant, and more durable than conventional steel structures.

BYD had tested high-strength steel, hot-rolled steel, titanium alloys, and aluminum alloys. The choice finally fell on aluminum because it was considered the most suitable for technical and production targets.

The U8L frame uses aerospace-grade aluminum alloys series 6 and series 7. This is a strong type of aluminum that is commonly used for lightweight structures. This material is combined with a fused structure so that the frame remains rigid without making the weight swell.

The biggest challenge is in the production process. To pursue strength, BYD must reduce the heat-affected welding area. Therefore, they use cold-welding methods, such as bolts and rivets. This technique is more commonly used in the aircraft industry.

BYD said that when the project started, there was no supplier who had the tools to cast such a large structure. After the multi-part casting method failed to meet the target of repeated pressure tests, BYD sought an approach from outside the automotive industry.

As a result, the number of frame components decreased from 251 to 119. A total of 67 rear frame components were combined into one large casting.

The welding length is also cut significantly, from around 100 meters to only 9 meters. The fewer welding points, the smaller the potential for material fatigue and shape changes in the frame.

BYD also uses a dimensional control method from the aerospace industry to regulate the strength of bolt connections when the vehicle receives dynamic loads. The performance of the main connection point is claimed to have increased more than fourfold. Tensile strength has increased more than twofold compared to the initial stage of development.

According to CarNewsChina, the final aluminum frame cuts the vehicle's weight by 56 kg while increasing the rigidity of the structure.

BYD said the Yangwang U8L is the first vehicle in the industry to pass a 12-ton lift test with an integrated frame structure. Its torsional rigidity is also reported to be more than 50 percent higher than that of a similar model. Torsional rigidity is the ability of the frame to withstand torsion when the car passes over uneven roads or receives a large load.

This technology strengthens Yangwang's position as a BYD technology showcase brand. At the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, Yangwang displayed special versions of the U8L and U9 Xtreme.

The limited production version of the U9 Xtreme then became the most expensive BYD car ever sold, with a price of 20 million yuan or around 2.76 million US dollars.

According to China EV DataTracker, Yangwang delivered 264 vehicles in April. Previously, the brand recorded 307 units in March and 232 units in February.