Active Suspension

Active suspension goes beyond adaptive damping by adding force or predicting road inputs. Learn concepts and modern examples like Porsche and NIO.

Last modified: Jan 24, 2026

“Adaptive” vs “active” — the important distinction

Suspension terminology is messy, so it helps to separate three categories:

Passive

Fixed springs and fixed dampers. No real-time changes.

Semi-active (adaptive damping)

The system can change damping (how strongly it resists motion) but it cannot directly “push” the wheel up or down. Most “adaptive suspension” systems live here.

Porsche’s PASM is a well-known example of continuously adjusting damper behavior based on conditions and selected driving mode.

Active

The system can add energy to the suspension — effectively pushing/pulling to control body motion more directly, not just resisting it.

This is where the biggest leaps in “flat ride” and composure come from.

What active suspension tries to achieve

Active systems usually target these benefits:

  • Less body roll in corners without stiff springs
  • Less dive under braking / squat under acceleration
  • Better isolation over rough roads (keeping the body calm)
  • Better tire load management (more consistent grip)

The holy grail is: sporty control without harshness.

The three “flavors” of modern active suspension

Most current systems fall into one (or a combination) of these approaches:

  • Electromechanical active suspension (often 48V): Electric motors/actuators generate force at each corner to counter roll, pitch, and heave.
  • Hydraulic / electro-hydraulic active suspension: A hydraulic system (often with fast valves and pumps) generates force at each corner.
  • Preview + control software: Cameras/IMU/GPS detect upcoming road inputs so the system can prepare before the wheel hits the bump.

The videos below show three different interpretations of “active.”

Active roll stabilization (anti-roll control)

One of the most impactful “active” techniques is active roll stabilization. Instead of a passive anti-roll bar, actuators counteract body roll.

Porsche describes PDCC as active roll stabilization that reduces lateral body movement in cornering.

Why it matters in EVs

  • Heavy vehicles benefit from roll control for stability
  • But stiff passive bars can hurt comfort on uneven surfaces
  • Active systems can aim for both: flat cornering and compliance

Wheel-selective active suspension: Audi e-tron GT / Porsche Taycan family

Some high-end EVs use wheel-selective active systems that can generate vertical forces at each corner. The goal isn’t just to make the ride softer or firmer — it’s to actively shape body motion:

  • Keep the body more level during acceleration and braking (reduce squat/dive)
  • Stabilize the body during quick steering inputs
  • Increase comfort by preventing the “second bounce” after bumps
  • Create a bigger spread between comfort mode and dynamic mode

What to watch for in the video

  • The body staying notably “calm” during pitch events (braking/acceleration)
  • The car resisting roll and recovering quickly after steering inputs
  • A sense that the suspension is doing work (not just absorbing it)

The video below shows the active suspension on Audi e-tron GT. This is the same hardware family used on Porsche Taycan.

EVKX takeaway: This type of system targets the GT experience: long-distance comfort without losing control when the road gets fast, bumpy, or twisty.

Road preview and “predictive” suspension (camera/radar inputs)

Some modern EVs use sensors to prepare for bumps before the wheel hits them.

Preview matters because reactive systems wait for wheel/body motion, then respond. A predictive system can pre-load valves, actuators, or height settings so the first impact is reduced and the body stays calmer.

In practice, preview can improve:

  • Sharp-edge comfort (less initial shock)
  • “Head-toss” reduction on uneven roads
  • Stability when a bump hits mid-corner

Fully active hydraulic suspension: NIO ET9 “champagne tower” demo

NIO’s ET9 showcases a fully active approach where the suspension can adjust stiffness, damping, and ride height extremely quickly. This is the kind of system designed to decouple the cabin from the road — the wheels do the work, while the body stays composed.

What the champagne tower test demonstrates

  • Heave control: keeping vertical body motion very small over speed bumps
  • Consistency: not just one bump — repeated bumps without building oscillation
  • Fine control at low body frequencies: the body isn’t allowed to “wallow” after each input

This video shows the NIO ET9 driving with champagne glasses.

What it means in real driving

  • Less fatigue on broken roads and highway undulations
  • More stability during regen/braking transitions (less head-bob)
  • Better comfort without needing overly soft springs

High-force electro-hydraulic body control: BYD YANGWANG U9 “jump” demo

BYD’s YANGWANG U9 uses an active body control system capable of generating large, rapid vertical forces. The famous “jump” is not a gimmick from a suspension engineering point of view — it is a very clear demonstration of one thing:

the system can add energy to the chassis quickly.

That’s the key difference between:

  • a damper (dissipates energy),
  • adaptive damping (changes resistance),
  • and a truly active system (can create force on demand).

What to watch for in the video

  • The car “crouches” first (preloading suspension travel and force)
  • Then it releases that stored/controlled energy to lift the body
  • The landing stability shows how fast the system can regain control after a major event

The video below shows the active system on BYD YANGWANG U9 jumping over obstacles.

What it translates to (beyond the stunt)

  • Strong pitch/roll control potential without relying on stiff springs
  • Body stabilization during aggressive acceleration/braking and rapid transitions
  • The same underlying capability can also enable “three-wheel driving” and “dancing” demos: each corner can be commanded independently

The real-world question: does it make the car better?

Active systems can be transformative — but only when:

  • sensors are accurate,
  • response is fast,
  • calibration is refined,
  • and the mechanical baseline (bushings, mounts, travel) is solid.

A poorly calibrated active system can feel busy, artificial, or inconsistent between surfaces. A well-calibrated one can make a heavy EV feel surprisingly light and composed.

What to look for in marketing claims

When you see “active suspension,” check what it actually includes:

  • Adaptive damping only (semi-active)
  • Air suspension + adaptive damping (still usually semi-active, but powerful)
  • Active anti-roll bars (roll control)
  • Wheel-selective active suspension (can add force per corner)
  • Preview sensing (camera/radar-based predictive adjustments)

The more of these that are combined, the closer you get to the “best of both worlds” goal.

EVKX takeaway

If you care about:

  • long-distance comfort,
  • confidence on broken Nordic winter roads,
  • and stable highway behavior,

then suspension technology often matters more than 0–100 numbers. For EVs especially, the most impressive systems are the ones that deliver control without stiffness.