A new video is turning heads online, showing BYD's Yangwang U8 luxury SUV driving up a custom-built 45-degree ramp in Shanghai, with the Pudong skyline visible behind it. A 45-degree slope is far steeper than any ordinary road, so the footage looks more like a stunt than a drive. The clip is meant to show off the SUV's off-road climbing ability, and it fits a pattern of public demonstrations BYD has used to promote the model. Those earlier stunts include floating on water in an emergency mode and spinning in place in a tank turn.

The U8 is built to handle this kind of challenge on paper. It has four electric motors, one for each wheel, with a combined output of roughly 1,100 horsepower or more, and the instant torque and wheel-by-wheel control are what let it grip on steep ground. A 1.5-liter petrol engine acts as a range extender, generating electricity rather than driving the wheels directly. BYD uses showpiece demos like this one to build credibility for its premium Yangwang brand and its growing lineup of advanced Chinese off-road SUVs. Viewers are left wondering how the ramp was built, whether the vehicle was modified, and how it would do on real terrain rather than a purpose-built slope.