From 'poor chassis' to counterattack

In the past, cars made by new forces were often roast about because of "poor chassis". The Ideal ONE and NIO's first generation models, despite their high-quality materials, lack experience in tuning and have poor dynamic performance. Although the second-generation NIO model has been improved, its body still appears clumsy when pitching and shaking on bumpy roads, resulting in a poor experience for rear passengers.

The turning point will come in 2025. The launch of Xiaomi SU7, with its excellent mechanical quality and driving performance, has overturned the industry's perception of new forces. Subsequently, the all-new NIO 5566 model was launched, with significantly improved chassis comfort and reduced user feedback on bumps. The vibration and noise on gravel roads were also significantly reduced.

Hydraulic bushings become secret weapons

NIO officials revealed that the key to this chassis upgrade lies in optimizing flexible connection components such as springs, bushings, CDC shock absorbers, especially the two large hydraulic bushings added to the rear subframe. Compared to traditional rubber bushings, hydraulic bushings have the characteristic of "combining rigidity and flexibility":

Low frequency large vibrations (such as passing over speed bumps): can fully absorb impacts and suppress vibration transmission.

High frequency small vibrations (such as rough road surfaces): can efficiently filter out fine bumps and noise, and improve NVH performance.

In short, hydraulic bushings can soften and resolve impacts in the initial stage, and provide strong support in the later stage, effectively reducing the impact sound when passing through obstacles and eliminating the feeling of loose chassis. This technology has long been widely used by luxury brands such as Audi and Cadillac.

The application of hydraulic bushings by new forces

NIO: The high-end ET7 is equipped with hydraulic bushings at key points on the front and rear subframes, and this technology has now been popularized in mid to high end models.

L Xiaopeng: The 2025 G6/G9 will debut the "Taiji bushing" matrix, with hydraulic bushings applied at six key points throughout the vehicle, gradually becoming popular in other flagship models. Its impact on speed bumps is better than that of luxury cars, with a 1-2dB reduction in interior noise and a 35% reduction in cornering roll.

Extreme Krypton: With an all aluminum chassis and hydraulic bushings, coupled with a dual chamber suspension, the Extreme Krypton 001 achieves a perfect balance between sportiness and comfort, and its driving experience on rough roads can be considered top-notch within 500000 yuan. Its tuning experience has also influenced brands such as Xiaomi and Xiaopeng.

The popularization and future of hydraulic bushings

Hydraulic bushings not only bring a sense of luxury comparable to air suspension, but also achieve a superior experience at a relatively economical cost. In the mid to high end models newly launched in 2025, hydraulic bushings have almost become standard hardware.

However, it should be noted that chassis performance is not solely attributed to hardware. Excellent hardware is the foundation, and profound tuning skills are the key. The next decisive battlefield for new forces will be how to continuously improve in tuning after filling the hardware gaps.