This Chinese SUV Can 'Swim' in Deep Water-and It Has an 892-HP Engine
Not Your Usual Amphibious Experiment
Amphibious vehicles have been around for a while, but most of them feel more like engineering projects than practical daily drivers.
Not the modern ones, though. We've already seen BYD's Yangwang U8 wade through surprisingly deep water, proving that a fully electric platform can be sealed and protected well enough to survive the elements.
Another Chinese marque, Jetour (a brand under Chery Automobile), is now entering this space with the G700 Ark Edition, but with a different approach. Instead of going fully electric, the G700 keeps a traditional combustion engine as a range extender. Even so, it's been shown to do more than just wade through water – it can supposedly move across the surface when the wheels are no longer touching the ground.
How It Floats Without Falling Apart
The G700 Ark Edition uses a system that alters how the SUV operates in deep water. Rather than depending on the wheels for movement, the powertrain disconnects from the wheels and sends power to a separate fording setup.
The Ark Edition comes with extra features to enable the vehicle to move through water: electric propellers. There's also a gyroscopic stability system to keep the SUV balanced and heading where you want it to go. In effect, the G700 transforms from a car into a more controlled watercraft when afloat.
To make this work, Jetour uses reinforced sealing throughout the G700. Key components are rated at IP68 for waterproofing, and the engine has its own protection against water entry. An integrated buoyancy and navigation system manages how the SUV floats and moves, so it doesn't just drift aimlessly like most vehicles would in deep water. Jetour describes this as passive wading – where you simply hope not to stall – as opposed to active fording, where the SUV can keep its direction even when it's fully floating.
Of note, we're still waiting for actual footage of the G700 Ark Edition, showing the claimed public fording test. We also don't know for how long the G700 can "swim" through water when fully charged. What we have for now are images and not-so-technical information from the press release.
A Gimmick, or Something More Useful?
Most drivers won't need amphibious capability every day, but Jetour sees it as an extra level of safety for extreme situations. The focus isn't on turning SUVs into boats, but on helping drivers navigate flooded roads, river crossings, or remote areas where getting stuck could become a real problem.
Beyond the amphibious system, the G700 is built as a capable off-roader. It uses a body-on-frame chassis, has triple differential locks, and reportedly makes up to 892 horsepower. Features like tank turn, crab-walk modes, and a 38.2-inch water wading capacity show that Jetour wants the G700 to stand up to established off-roaders, even without the amphibious features.
Whether this technology becomes common or stays a niche feature will depend on how well it works in real-world use and how easy it is to own. If Jetour can deliver on both, it could set the G700 apart. Not in the US, though, as Chinese vehicles are still not eligible for a green card. Well, at least for now.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 9:00 AM.