A wheel clamp is supposed to stop a vehicle from moving. Apparently, nobody told this BYD Bao 8 driver.
A video circulating on Chinese social media shows what appears to be a Fang Cheng Bao Bao 8 driving along a public road on just three wheels, with a yellow-and-red clamp still attached to its raised front-left wheel.
The unusual sight was reportedly captured in Jinshan, Lianyungang, in China’s Jiangsu province, with other vehicles and pedestrians nearby.
According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid SUV’s party trick resembles a capability BYD demonstrated in May using its DiSus-P Ultra hydraulic suspension system.
Fitted to the Bao 8 Flash Charge Edition, the technology allows individual wheels to be raised independently, enabling the vehicle to move on three wheels at low speeds.
BYD demonstrated the system at a proving ground, specifying a maximum three-wheel driving speed of 15kph. It also allows a wheel to be changed without a conventional jack.
The Bao 8, marketed internationally as the Denza B8, is therefore technically capable of the manoeuvre.
What remains unclear is why the vehicle in the circulating footage had been clamped in the first place.
There has been no verified explanation of the circumstances, nor confirmation of any action taken against the driver.
While the footage makes for an entertaining demonstration of automotive ingenuity, driving on three wheels among other road users raises rather different questions about safety.
