BYD's Yangwang U9X Tops Global Speed Ranking at 496.2 km/h, Powered by a Silent Revolution in Auto Manufacturing and the Great Contribution of Metal 3D Printing
Polar Bear has learned that on October 30, 2025, Yang Feng, Dean of the Yangwang Research Institute under BYD's Automotive Engineering Research Institute, published a long article systematically explaining for the first time the R&D journey of the 3D printing technology used in the Yangwang U9X body, calling it a "breakthrough exploration for future manufacturing paradigms."
On the path to pursuing ultimate vehicle speed and extreme handling, the Yangwang team chose metal 3D printing technology as a breakthrough point. This enabled a high degree of structural freedom and integration for the body, resulting in a bodyshell with track-level stiffness, extreme crash safety, and an industry-leading lightweight coefficient.
3D Printing Technology: From Aerospace to the Automotive Track
3D printing technology played a decisive role in the manufacturing of the Yangwang U9X. Using lightweight materials from the aerospace field as a blueprint, the team custom-developed a high-strength aluminum alloy.
The yield strength of this material is three times that of traditional cast aluminum, perfectly balancing the矛盾 between lightweighting and structural performance.
Yang Feng pointed out, "We 3D printed the entire front and rear compartments, which upgraded the car's performance by a notch and reduced weight."
This achievement is particularly valuable given that traditional lightweighting methods were approaching their limits.
Core Technology: Hyper-Dimensional Honeycomb and Micron-Level Precision
During the R&D process, the Yangwang team pioneered "multi-dimensional surface parametric modeling technology," overcoming the challenge of continuous transition across complex free-form surfaces.
This technology realized an aerospace-grade topology-optimized structure – the globally首发 Printing HyperCell Super-Dimensional Honeycomb technology.
The Super-Dimensional Honeycomb technology, through the synergistic reinforcement of cavities and ribs, increases torsional stiffness by over 200% compared to a solid structure of the same weight. This structure mimics the biomechanical principles of bird bones, completely hollowing out non-load-bearing areas and significantly reducing wall thickness.
In terms of manufacturing precision, the team adopted Laser Beam Melting technology to achieve printing with 0.03mm level micron precision. By using a dynamic compensation algorithm for process parameters, they solved the problem of thermal deformation in large-sized thin-wall structures, ensuring that the tolerance for key body mounting surfaces is ≤ 0.1mm. This precision reaches the manufacturing level of aircraft engine blades.
Performance: A Handling Revolution at Extreme Speeds
The 3D-printed body brought unprecedented performance advantages to the Yangwang U9X. The vehicle's super strong torsional stiffness enables a significant improvement in dynamic response when cornering at speeds exceeding 400 km/h.
The ultra-freeform 3D-printed body structure perfectly matches and efficiently connects various systems, achieving deep coupling of the entire vehicle and greatly enhancing track-level handling stability.
Strategic Layout: BYD's Manufacturing Paradigm Shift
Polar Bear recalls that in BYD's financial report released in March this year (2024), the company revealed it had achieved mass production of 3D printers.
In the Chairman's statement within the report, he mentioned two core business segments: the automotive business, and the mobile handset components and assembly business. Regarding the latter, he mentioned 3D printers, stating that in 2024, "BYD's 3D printers and AI servers achieved mass production within the year." This is significant news for the 3D printing industry, as there were no prior hints about this development; the announcement of achieved mass production came suddenly.
Currently, BYD has not released a self-branded 3D printer. Polar Bear speculates that it's likely BYD is acting as an OEM/ODM manufacturer for 3D printer companies.
Industry Impact: A Breakthrough Exploration in Manufacturing Paradigms
Through systematic breakthroughs in material-structure-process, the U9X body won the only award for a Chinese brand at the Euro Car Body Conference and received international authoritative recognition with the highest score from the jury.
This breakthrough not only verifies the engineering feasibility of applying aerospace-grade manufacturing processes in the automotive field but also pioneers an innovative path for the subsequent application of aerospace technology in automotive standards.
BYD's initiative to publicly disclose extensive details about the application of 3D printing technology is a first among domestic automakers. This move may accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing technology across the entire industry. As the technology matures, 3D printing is expected to further penetrate into the manufacturing of core components like batteries and motors.
The U9X project accumulated valuable experience for subsequent 3D printing applications in other vehicle models. During their exploration, the Yangwang team discovered that 3D printing is not just an update in manufacturing technology but a subversion of automotive design philosophy. The 3D-printed body technology of the Yangwang U9X reduced the vehicle's weight by up to 100 kilograms, a breakthrough considering the approaching limits of traditional manufacturing processes.
With the combination of integrated die-casting and 3D printing technologies, the intelligent and lightweight revolution in automotive manufacturing is rapidly taking shape, being "printed" into reality. BYD's disclosure of 3D printing details this time is not only a display of technical confidence but also potentially a declaration of a paradigm shift in China's automotive manufacturing industry.
Image from Yangwang Auto's Yang Feng 
Image from Yangwang Auto's Yang Feng 
