Chinese auto giant BYD has once again proven that it doesn't just follow trends, it creates them. With its flagship sedan Yangwang U7, the brand not only sets new standards in the luxury electrified vehicle segment, but also presents a true engineering gem. For the first time, the company has shed light, literally, on the internal structure of its new horizontally opposed 2.0T engine - a component that becomes the backbone of the cutting-edge power architecture.
In a recently published analysis entitled “The First Analysis of the BYD 2.0T Opposite Engine“, Professor Qiu Ming from Shanghai University explains in depth why this unit represents a fundamental breakthrough for modern electrified platforms and what makes it absolutely unique in the global market. This is not just another internal combustion engine; it is a high-tech generator designed from the ground up for a world dominated by electricity.
The boxer engine configuration
Also known as a “horizontally opposed“ or flat-engine&rdash; offers a set of inherent, unwavering advantages over conventional inline engines, especially when it comes to integrating it into hybrid systems. Its main strength lies in its extremely low profile. This “flat” design drastically reduces the vertical footprint, which is critical for installation in the highly limited space of the front compartment.
Such compactness is key to the Yangwang U7's YiSiFang architecture, which relies on phenomenal features such as four independent electric motors, cornering on the spot, and the “crab walk” function. With such a complex configuration, there is simply no physical space for a standard, bulky in-line engine without serious, even unacceptable, compromises in design and functionality. That is why BYD decided to develop the world's first production engine with horizontally arranged cylinders, which is specifically designed to work as a generator for an electric vehicle.
In the Yangwang U7, this engine is the central element of the so-called “six-core” power architecture. It works hand in hand with the generator, two drive motors and two separate motors controlling the chassis, forming a single, ultra-efficient system. Its main task is to produce electric current for the traction battery and power the electric motors, instead of directly transmitting power to the wheels.
BYD is proud to point out that the boxer layout has solved not only the problem of physical dimensions, but also led to revolutionary indicators in terms of acoustic comfort and vibrations
The very nature of the horizontally opposed engine provides natural vibration suppression: the pistons move mirror-symmetrically against each other, canceling out inertial forces. The result achieved is amazing: at idle and under moderate load, the noise level of this internal combustion engine is only 1 decibel higher than the noise of the electric motors themselves. In other words, it is practically inaudible to passengers – an atypical and eloquent result for a car equipped with an internal combustion engine.
Engineers have implemented a number of high-tech solutions to achieve this “explosion of silence“. The engine features a dry sump, a specially designed coolant circulation system, innovative solutions to improve noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), including a “sandwich” end cover structure and a dual drive chain. All this is aimed at ensuring unwavering reliability and stable operation, even under the highest load.
Although its main role is generator, the engine also offers functional flexibility
In specific driving conditions, it can be directly engaged, driving the rear axle and supporting the electric motors for even better dynamics. Thanks to this scheme, the total power of the drive system reaches an impressive 272 hp and 380 Nm of torque. This positions the Yangwang U7 as one of the most impressive sedans in the class of electrified models, where the internal combustion engine plays an auxiliary but strategically important role.
In hybrid architectures, this smart scheme allows for extremely precise control over energy consumption. The engine can modulate its output power depending on the battery charge level, optimizing the efficiency of the entire system according to the current driving needs. BYD makes no secret: this solution will form the basis of future generations of electrified models of the brand, demonstrating one of the highest levels of engineering integration between internal combustion engine and electric technologies that the market has ever seen.