Huawei's Maextro S800 takes "crab-walking" to next level

The new luxury electric sedan from Huawei and JAC, Maextro S800, just demonstrated its next-gen "crab walk" feature. This technology allows the car to maneuver in tight spaces with ease, despite its large size.

The S800 is a full-size sedan, measuring 216.5 inches long. It's powered by three electric motors that deliver a total of 852 horsepower. The car also has an EREV variant that uses a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine to extend its range.

The "crab walk" feature is made possible by the car's four-wheel steering system. It allows the rear wheels to turn up to 16 degrees in the same direction as the front wheels, allowing the car to move sideways. This is a significant improvement over other cars with rear-wheel steering, such as the Mercedes-Benz EQS (up to 10 degrees - subscription required) and the Rolls-Royce Spectre (around 5 degrees).

A video released by Huawei and JAC shows the S800 using its "crab walk" feature to maneuver around seven Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Classes parked in a tight formation. The S800 turns the obstacle course into a walk in a park, demonstrating the potential of this technology for real-world driving situations.

The rear-wheel-steer feature is particularly useful for a car the size of the S800. It allows the car to make tighter turns and park in spaces that would be impossible for a car with conventional steering.

The Maextro S800 is expected to go on sale in China soon, with a starting price of RMB 1 million (approximately $136,000). It is positioned as the top-of-the-line model in Huawei's HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Auto) lineup, which also includes models from Aito, Luxeed, and Stelato.

Via