Voyah, the premium electric vehicle brand under the Dongfeng Group, announced that its Passion S model successfully completed a 360-degree loop challenge inside a tunnel in Wuhan. Company representatives stated that the video was recorded entirely with a standard production version, without any special effects or modifications, making the Passion S the world's first commercially produced vehicle to successfully perform this daring stunt.
This challenge is seen as an homage to the classic 2010 Mercedes SLS AMG advertisement featuring legendary racer Michael Schumacher. While the original video sparked debate over the use of a stunt double instead of Schumacher, Voyah's performance was filmed live to demonstrate the actual operational capabilities of a production vehicle.
According to CarNewsChina, technically, performing a closed-loop stunt is significantly more difficult for a mid-to-large utility vehicle like the Passion S compared to a lightweight supercar such as the SLS AMG. This is due to the Passion S's substantial size and considerably greater curb weight. The vehicle used in the challenge retained its original battery pack and all smart driving assistance hardware, with no weight reduction.
To complete the stunt, the car had to accelerate to a minimum speed of approximately 130 km/h and enter the curved tunnel wall at a precise 16-degree steering angle. Centrifugal force countered gravity, allowing the vehicle to complete the full 360-degree rotation. Maintaining speed was crucial; a drop of just 3-5 km/h below the required threshold would immediately result in the car losing grip and falling from the tunnel ceiling.
Powering the performance is a dual electric motor all-wheel drive system, delivering a total output of 637 horsepower and 765 Nm of torque. This configuration enables instant acceleration to achieve the necessary entry speed. Additionally, the 800V high-voltage platform utilizes Silicon Carbide (SiC) technology, achieving a transmission efficiency of up to 93.8%. Combined with an active grille for intelligent temperature control, the system ensures that power is not diminished throughout the entry, wall-climbing, and inverted driving phases.
However, similar to Mercedes' event 16 years ago, this year's Voyah Passion S stunt has also faced skepticism. On the social media platform Weibo, many questioned whether the footage was edited or generated by AI. Yet, others argued that, theoretically, a car could perform such a loop at a specific speed and angle.
In China, the Voyah Passion S went on pre-sale in July, with the top-tier version priced at 309,900 yuan (approximately 45,600 USD). The car is expected to officially debut and announce its retail price on 15/8.
My Anh
