Hubei Hantek Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Hantek) just unveiled a game-changing piece of engineering: the world’s first one-piece, low-pressure-cast, all-aluminum large-vehicle frame. This isn’t just a technical marvel, it is set to bolster automotive safety and rigidity like never before and it is making its debut in none other than the BYD Yangwang U8L, a high-end electric SUV that hit the streets in September 2025. The reveal happened on December 2, 2025, at the Yangtze River Industry and Technology Innovation Conference in Hubei, grabbing headlines as reported by IT-home.
Pushing the Boundaries of Manufacturing
This isn’t just a bigger piece of metal, it is a triumph over the previous limitations in creating ultra-large, thin-walled components. The frame boasts an impressive projected area of 4.2 square meters and a wall thickness that ranges from a delicate 4 millimeters to a robust 50 millimeters. That is a ratio exceeding 12:1! Hantek proudly states that no other global project has managed to cast a frame with such extreme thickness variation. This really shakes things up in the industry.
Think about conventional all-aluminum frames. They typically involve assembling dozens of separate parts through welding, riveting, or other joining methods. These processes are not only complex and costly but also create structural weak points at the joints, compromising rigidity and overall safety. Hantek dedicated years of research to perfecting low-pressure casting for ultra-large, thin-walled structures. They tackled major technical hurdles, like precisely controlling molten-metal filling and ensuring consistent solidification across sections with wildly different thicknesses. The result is a single, integrated aluminum frame that completely bypasses the need for those traditional multi-part assemblies.
Enhanced Performance and Safety
What does this mean for cars like the Yangwang U8L? A lot, actually. This integrated frame design dramatically improves overall body rigidity and torsional stiffness. Picture this, optimized force flow through the structure which significantly enhances crash protection. Hantek also emphasized that their proprietary aluminum alloy material and heat treatment processes deliver an optimal balance of high strength, toughness, and fatigue resistance. It is not just about being tough, it is about being smart about how that strength is applied.
BYD launched the Yangwang U8L, a full-size luxury SUV, at a price of 1.28 million yuan, which is about 181,200 USD. This beast of an SUV is built on the innovative e4 (Yisifang) platform and it comes loaded with a 2.0T engine, four electric motors, and a fierce 55.53 kWh Blade battery. All of that works together to unleash 880 kW (1,180 hp) and a colossal 1,520 Nm of torque. You are looking at a 200 km electric range and an incredible 1,160 km total range. The U8L doesn’t just offer power, it also brings sophistication with 13 driving modes and BYD’s “God’s Eye” driver-assistance system, which utilizes an array of lidar, radar, and infrared sensors.
Inside, luxury abounds. The six-seat interior spoils passengers with multiple screens, executive second-row seats, 32 speakers for an immersive audio experience, a panoramic sunroof, a refrigerator, and 14 airbags for ultimate safety. Even at 120 km/h, the cabin noise is capped at a whisper-quiet 64.6 dB.
A Milestone for China’s Automotive Industry
Officials at the Yangtze River Industry Group, who organized the conference, were quick to point out that Hantek’s low-pressure casting technology marks a significant achievement in China’s manufacturing of large, complex aluminum structural components. They even hinted that this innovative approach could redefine future large-vehicle frame design and production on a global scale.
Hantek isn’t new to this lightweight chassis game. They have already established strong partnerships with both domestic and international automakers, including BYD, Nio, Faw Hongqi, and Dongfeng Lantu. This latest achievement further solidifies their position at the forefront of automotive innovation, reinforcing China’s growing influence in the global EV landscape.
