Chery Fulwin X3L’s mountain stair challenge ends in failure
A challenge by Chery Automobile at Tianmen Mountain “Heavenly Ladder” took an unexpected turn on November 12th, when a Chery Fulwin X3L test vehicle slid down the steep steps, colliding with and damaging a protective railing. The incident, captured in videos by multiple netizens, has sparked public debate regarding safety and the use of scenic areas for such events.
The incident occurred around noon on November 12th. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the vehicle fail to ascend the steps, subsequently sliding backwards and breaking through a section of the railing. “It stayed there for two hours without moving,” one netizen at the scene told Jimu News. A local tour guide confirmed that the “Heavenly Ladder” was closed to tourists on both November 12th and 13th for the Chery event.
The Tianmen Mountain “Heavenly Ladder” is a renowned tourist attraction, featuring 999 steps over a length of nearly 300 meters and a vertical drop of 150 meters, leading to Tianmen Cave. It is known for its challenging conditions, including 30-centimetre wet and narrow steps, an average gradient of 45 degrees, with some sections exceeding 60 degrees. Previous reports by Jiangnan Metropolis Daily described it as a route “rarely challenged even by imported off-road vehicles.”
The Chery Fulwin X3L, a model from Chery’s Fulwin brand, launched on September 18, 2025, was the vehicle attempting the feat. Chery Automobile’s Executive Vice President had previously posted on Weibo on September 21st, highlighting the difficulty of the Tianmen Mountain challenge and the high demands it placed on a vehicle’s power, handling, and four-wheel-drive system.
In response to the incident, a staff member at Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park stated that the “Heavenly Ladder” was indeed closed for the Chery event, directing tourists to use the mountain-piercing escalator to reach Tianmen Cave.
On November 13th, Chery Automobile issued an apology statement regarding the “unexpected situation” during the Tianmen Mountain challenge. The company stated that a preliminary investigation revealed the direct cause of the accident was the “unexpected detachment of a shackle from the safety rope’s anchor point of the test device.” This led to the safety rope entangling the right wheel, obstructing power output, and causing the vehicle to slide and collide with the railing. Chery confirmed that no personnel were injured, and no natural environment was damaged.
Chery acknowledged “insufficient estimation of potential risks and oversights in detailed control” during the planning and execution of the test, particularly in choosing a public scenic area for the activity. The company expressed deep regret for the damage caused to the Tianmen Mountain site and pledged to repair it and bear all compensation responsibilities fully.
