A 3-wheeled vehicle to avoid a fine: BYD’s SUV and its amazing technological trick

19/10/2026 12:00

Updated to

19/10/2026 12:00

BYD’s latest news isn’t about an electric car — although this model, which has a certified range of 1,008 km, actually only managed 566 km — but rather stunning images of one of its SUVs driving around China on three wheels… in an attempt to remove a barrier placed on its left front wheel. Though this hasn’t been confirmed, it’s believed the vehicle is using this trick to avoid a parking fine.

The SUV in question was manufactured by BYD, though it isn’t specifically a BYD model. It’s a Fang Cheng Bao — the Chinese automaker’s specialized SUV and 4x4 brand — B8, which offers a range of up to 1,380 km and is sold in other markets as the Denza B8…. which will soon be available in Spain as well with another SUV featuring a range of 835 km.

Three wheels to avoid paying a fine?

The three-wheeled BYD SUV is driving through the streets of Jinshan Town in Jiangsu province. It is a plug-in hybrid SUV equipped with a 2.0T gasoline engine and two electric motors that deliver 550 kW / 748 horsepower. It offers up to 200 km of electric range and a total combined range of 1,380 km. It measures 5.195 meters in length, 1.99 meters in width, and 1.9 meters in height, with a wheelbase of 2,920 mm.

The most interesting aspect of this BYD SUV is the technological trick that allows it to drive on three wheels—even though it wasn’t designed for that purpose. The “trick” that seemingly helped avoid a fine is the use of BYD’s second-generation intelligent DiSus-P Ultra hydraulic suspension system, which the company has also incorporated into another SUV sold in China, the Fao Cheng Bao 5.

We’re talking about a hydraulic suspension system that, thanks to the use of a dual-valve system in the shock absorbers, allows for adjustment of stiffness at three preset levels and provides a suspension travel of up to 200 mm in height. In fact, BYD already demonstrated this system last May.

While the most impressive feature of this SUV is its ability to lift a wheel independently — and thus drive on three wheels — by up to 300 mm, a function originally designed to help overcome 4x4 obstacles or replace a flat tire in extreme conditions without even using a jack... not to avoid a fine.

And keep in mind, if this already seems amazing, it gets even better as BYD claims this hydraulic system can lift up to 9 tons. The catch? This SUV can only travel at most 15 km with one wheel in the air.

Regardless, its ability to move on three wheels has been empirically proven through these images, which illustrate how this BYD can distribute its weight and traction across the three wheels in contact with the ground... while keeping the wheel with the spike inactive.

Unfortunately, there are no plans at this time to sell this hybrid SUV with a range of up to 1,380 km in Europe. Although it is available in 5-, 6-, and 7-seater versions, it is currently sold only in China and some foreign markets such as Australia.