BYD wows with showcase of motoring technology in all-terrain circuit and museum in Zhengzhou

ZHENGZHOU – Zhengzhou in Central China is a tale of two cities. Steeped in Henan heritage, it has history museums aplenty and also houses the Shaolin Temple.

In more recent times, Zhengzhou has developed into an industrial hub, especially for automobile manufacturing. This includes BYD’s massive 10.67 sq km vertically integrated mega-factory.

Keen to build brand awareness, BYD, headquartered in Shenzhen, has created two highlights in Zhengzhou – its All-Terrain Circuit, which opened in August 2025, and the Di Space New Energy Science Museum in October 2024.

The brand invites foreign visitors to the circuit through its overseas dealerships, while the museum is free and open to the public, but bookings must be made on Trip.com or by connecting to BYD’s official WeChat account.

Of course, legacy car companies such as Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari have their own on-road test circuits. BYD goes beyond with an all-terrain facility equipped with eight experience zones spanning an area equivalent to 21 football fields.

Said to cost five billion yuan (S$914 million), the circuit is designed to put both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) – collectively known as New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) in China – through their paces.

Within the circuit is a 1.8km race track for speed runs and a 15,300 sq m dynamic paddock area. The latter is suitable for a variety of driving scenarios, such as timed slaloms and automated parking demonstrations.

What is distinctive at the Zhengzhou circuit are the purpose-built segments to demonstrate BYD’s NEV model range. For example, there is an Off-Road Terrain area incorporating uneven terrain, rocky undulations, steep slopes, steps and a water-crossing section that participants can tackle in the Bao 5 electric sport utility vehicle (SUV).

Another station is the wet Kick-Plate section simulating slippery ice conditions.

There are other off-road simulation sections. As it was icy during the visit, we did not experience the Yangwang U8 SUV’s wading and flotation prowess at the 70m-long pool.

But we were treated to a synchronised performance of graceful slow-motion drifting manoeuvres with Denza Z9 GTs at a 44m-diameter wet skid pan. At another corner of the facility, the Bao 5 SUV demonstrated its off-roading capabilities by scaling a 29.6m-high slope pitched at an acute 28-degree angle.

Local Chinese can book various experiences at the Zhengzhou All-Terrain Circuit, while foreign participants are invited through BYD’s global dealerships. For a start, 50 BYD lucky draw winners from Singapore made the experiential trip to the circuit in early February.

The Di Space museum, located at the Erqi District in downtown Zhengzhou, is a four-storey building of 15,000 sq m that hosts over 300 exhibits covering automotive culture, design and technology.

The museum chronicles the history of BYD, which stands for “Build Your Dreams”. This includes its founding in 1995, when it started out as a battery-maker for mobile phones like Motorola and Nokia.

Company founder Wang Chuanfu formed BYD Auto in 2003. The F3DM, which was a compact four-door saloon with an uncanny resemblance to the Toyota Corolla, was the world’s first plug-in hybrid car. In 2010, BYD made its first electric car, the e6.

Over the next 25 years, numerous electric and hybrid models have been launched, from entry-level models to luxury vehicles to even a supercar, the Yangwang U9.

Beyond the BYD core brand, the company also created sub-brands targeting different market segments. These include Denza, the premium arm; Fangchengbao for off-road SUVs; and Yangwang, which is aimed at the luxury segment.

The second level of the museum showcases how BYD’s cars are conceived and designed, from the material selection to the manufacturing processes.

Level 3 focuses on innovative technology, featured in Yangwang models and the flagship U8 SUV. There is also a Patent Waterfall wall of over 35,000 patents filed by BYD over the years.

Interactive exhibits include the e4 four-motor independent drive system, which demonstrates the U8 SUV’s ability to do 360-degree tank turns, and Di-Link cockpit driving simulators to try out.

BYD plans to open similar driving circuits in Hefei and Shaoxing to promote off-roading with its vehicles.

In the pipeline

BYD has set its sights on selling more plug-in hybrid cars in 2026, among its slew of new models, according to Mr James Ng, managing director of BYD’s operations in Singapore and the Philippines, along with Brunei. Here are some models expected to debut within the year.