Dongfeng announced that the Voyah electric crossover drove through a tunnel upside down
Chinese state-owned automaker Dongfeng announced that its Voyah Passion S electric crossover completed a full 360-degree turn in a closed test tunnel in Wuhan, traveling part of the trajectory with its wheels facing upward. The company claims this is the world’s first production vehicle to successfully perform such a maneuver in a tunnel.
According to InsideEVs, a production Voyah Passion S with no special modifications was used for the demonstration. Based on the engineers’ calculations, the vehicle was supposed to enter the first ramp with a steering angle of 16 degrees and at a speed of about 130 km/h. Dongfeng explained that centrifugal force kept the wheels in contact with the tunnel surface. After completing the loop, the red electric crossover reached the second ramp and came to a safe stop.
InsideEVs notes that additional tire marks are visible on the tunnel ceiling, which may indicate several attempts to perform the stunt. Dongfeng acknowledged that it was inspired by a 2010 Mercedes-Benz commercial in which the SLS AMG supercar allegedly performed a similar loop in a tunnel with Michael Schumacher at the wheel. That advertising campaign became one of the most controversial of the 2010s. The Chinese automaker insists that its run was real.
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According to the manufacturer, the Voyah Passion S is equipped with an 800-volt battery with a capacity of 98 kWh. The CLTC-rated range for the two-wheel-drive version is claimed to be up to 460 miles, and for the all-wheel-drive version with two electric motors—up to 434 miles. The all-wheel-drive version, according to the company, produces 637 k.s. and accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. In China, the model starts at $45,600.
The car also features a Huawei driver-assistance system with four lidars and 33 sensors, two 15.6-inch screens in the cabin, and a 29-inch augmented-reality head-up display.
