Chinese SUV Climbing 999 Steps in Zhangjiajie Crashes Into Railing—What Happened?

A Chinese electric vehicle brand has sparked controversy after damaging a railing during a challenge to climb the famous Zhangjiajie steps with its SUV, a popular natural tourist destination.
According to Hong Kong's Ming Pao and other sources on the 14th, Chery Automobile, a Chinese electric vehicle brand, held a climbing event for its newly launched hybrid model, the Fengyun X3L, at Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park in Zhangjiajie on the 12th.
Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie is a top-rated 'National 5A' tourist site in China. The event involved driving a car up the 'Heaven's Stairway'—a staircase of 999 steps, approximately 300 meters long, with a vertical drop of 150 meters and an incline ranging from 20 to 45 degrees, leading to Tianmen Cave.
Previously, British automaker Land Rover also climbed the Heaven's Stairway at Tianmen Mountain with one of its vehicles. In 2018, Land Rover became the first in the world to successfully ascend the Heaven's Stairway using its Range Rover Plug-in Hybrid model.
Chery Automobile aimed to showcase the four-wheel drive performance of its vehicle by attempting to climb the Heaven's Stairway, similar to what Land Rover did seven years ago.
However, during the event, the rear of the car struck and damaged a railing.
On Chinese social media, a video spread showing the Fengyun X3L seemingly losing power while ascending, sliding backward, and then hitting the railing, after which smoke was seen rising from the vehicle.
As the video went viral in China, Chery Automobile issued a statement explaining that a safety rope became detached during the test and wrapped around the right wheel, causing operational issues. The car then slipped and collided with the railing. The company apologized for failing to anticipate potential risks, for inadequate attention to detail, and for conducting the test at a tourist site, which raised public concern.
Regarding the incident, the state-run Beijing Daily criticized, "Chery Automobile's so-called test was actually a marketing strategy," and pointed out that follow-up investigations should clarify who approved the event, whether it was legal, and if restoration and compensation can address the impact.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the operating rights for the Tianmen Mountain tourist site have been held by Ningfa Group, a private company based in Tianjin, since 2001.
The Tianmen Mountain management stated that while the Heaven's Bridge has reopened, the railing has not yet been repaired, and visitors should exercise caution for their safety.
newssu@fnnews.com Kim Su-yeon Reporter