BYD Reenacts Tianmen Mountain Staircase Test with Yangwang U8; 2026 Model Launches March 5

BYD recently replicated Zhangjiajie’s Tianmen Mountain “999-step staircase” at a 1:1 scale inside its own facility to conduct extreme hill-climb tests on the 2026 Yangwang U8. Reuters footage shows that the camouflaged test vehicle has already completed its 1,289th run. The steps feature a height of 15–20 cm, a depth of 25–30 cm, and an incline exceeding 35 degrees, with a low-coefficient-of-friction steel surface—rigorously testing the vehicle’s torque distribution, suspension stability, and off-road capability. The test vehicle’s taillights and spare tire cover match those of the current U8 model, while its wheel arches feature a more rounded design. This approach avoids impacting the natural scenic area while enabling high-intensity validation. The 2026 Yangwang U7, U8, and U8L will be officially unveiled on March 5, with technical details to be revealed at the event.