"This is another leap in the technology, I mean, next level leap," Newsom said after experiencing the tank turn feature of the Yangwang U8 in Shenzhen.
(Image credit: SZTV News)
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is visiting China, experienced BYD's (OTCMKTS: BYDDY) ultra-luxurious Yangwang U8 and gave a thumbs-up to the new energy vehicle (NEV) giant's technology.
Newsom arrived in Shenzhen today and took BYD's electric vehicle for a test drive, local SZTV News reported.
The California governor sat in a Yangwang U8 and experienced the off-road SUV's tank turn feature.
"This is another leap in the technology, I mean, next level leap," Newsom said after experiencing the feature.
Yangwang, BYD's luxury brand launched on January 5, officially released its first production vehicle, the Yangwang U8, on September 20 at a starting price of 1.098 million yuan ($150,300), with deliveries expected to begin later this month.
The Yangwang U8 is already in production with over 30,000 orders, Shaanxi Daily said in an October 20 story.
Newsom's trip, which runs through October 29, is his first visit to China since he was elected governor of California in 2019, making him the first US governor to visit China since the Covid pandemic.
Shenzhen is the first city the California governor has visited in the Chinese mainland, and he visited Hong Kong yesterday.
Shenzhen's achievements over the past few years have been very impressive, especially the coverage of the city's electric bus network in just a few years, Newsom said, according to SZTV News.
The current environmental change problem is serious and people need to actively seek solutions, he said, adding that China is leading in this area and he hopes to share and learn from each other.
In 2017, Shenzhen's buses were completely replaced by electric ones, making it the first city in the world to achieve the accomplishment, the SZTV News report noted.
Newsom and his team visited one of Shenzhen Bus Group's stops and showed keen interest in the different types of BYD electric buses parked there, according to the report.
BYD sold 287,454 NEVs in September, including 286,903 passenger vehicles, and 511 commercial vehicles, according to information released by the company earlier this month.
($1 = RMB 7.3062)
BYD's ultra-luxury Yangwang U8 has over 30,000 orders, report says
