Hong Kong media including Ming Pao reported on the 14th that Chinese electric vehicle brand Chery Automobile Co. sparked controversy after damaging a handrail while attempting to drive up a staircase in Zhangjiajie, a nature destination famous for its scenery.
According to the reports, on the 12th Chery Automobile Co. held a climbing event for its new hybrid car, the Fengyun X3L, at Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, a "national 5A" tourist site, the highest rating in China.
The plan was to drive up the "Stairway to Heaven" leading to Tianmen Cave. It is a staircase of 999 steps about 300 meters long with a vertical drop of 150 meters and an incline of 20–45 degrees.
The Tianmen Mountain stairway is also where British car brand Land Rover succeeded in the world's first climb in 2018 with a Range Rover plug-in hybrid model.
Having launched a new model in September this year, Chery Automobile Co. sought to market its vehicle by showcasing four-wheel-drive performance, like Range Rover did seven years ago, by climbing the stairway.
However, video spread on Chinese social media shows the Fengyun X3L apparently losing power while ascending an uphill section, sliding backward, hitting the handrail with its rear, and then emitting smoke.
As the video drew attention, including trending on the real-time search list on China's Weibo, Chery Automobile Co. issued a statement explaining that during testing, a safety protection rope came loose and wrapped around the right wheel, causing a driving problem, after which the car slipped and hit the handrail.
It added an apology for the lack of foresight regarding potential risks, negligence in managing details, and conducting the test at a tourist site, which raised public concern.
Beijing Daily, a Chinese state-run outlet, criticized that while Chery Automobile Co. used the word "apology" four times in a single statement, that does not restore the stairway.
The outlet noted, "Chery Automobile Co.'s so-called test was in fact a marketing strategy," and pointed out, "Follow-up inquiries must answer who reviewed and approved the event, whether it was legal, and whether restoration and compensation can eliminate the impact."
The Zhangjiajie City Bureau of Culture and Tourism said the operating rights for the Tianmen Mountain tourist site are in private hands, so the local government is not the approving authority for events. The operating rights are said to belong to Ningfa Group, a Tianjin private company that invested in 2001.
The Tianmen Mountain tourist site said the sky bridge has reopened but the handrail has not yet been repaired, so visitors should take care for safety.