We have been living under the impression that tank turns are for tanks and… well, off-roaders like SUVs or pickup trucks. But the Chinese Zeekr 001 FR shows that we got it all wrong.
Zeeker 001 FR is the Chinese car that wants to beat the Tesla Model S Plaid in terms of performance. Introduced as a sedan but looking more like a liftback or a hatchback, it is powered by four silicone carbide electric motors, each engaging a wheel. Together, they generate 1,247 horsepower (1,265 PS) and 944 pound-feet (1,280 Nm) of torque and does the 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph) run in 2.0 seconds. Top speed is of 174 mph (280 kph).
That is indeed Tesla Model S Plaid territory. The American sedan only needs 1.9 seconds for the acceleration, on its way to a top speed of 200 mph (322 kph). The three electric motors that set it in motion bring along 1,020 horsepower (1,033 PS) and a torque rated at 1,050 pound feet (1,424 Nm).
Both of them are top of the line in the portfolio of their manufacturers. The Chinese model comes with a 140-kWh battery pack for an impressive range of up to 641 miles (1,032 kilometers). Those are figures that the Tesla Model S Plaid can only dream of. Its 100-kWh battery stores enough energy for 390 miles (628 kilometers).
But the Zeekr has an ace up its sleeve. It is the tank turn, a maneuver that we always thought it was an SUV or even off-roader thing. How does it pull that stunt? Apparently, if the car has four electric motors, each operating one wheel independently, it is halfway there.
A video uploaded on YouTube shows the car spinning in place. It just goes round, at 360 degrees, without leaving the spot. The maneuver sounds like the car is about to break into pieces, but it just does what it is supposed to do, all the time having the left turn indicator on, as it spins to the left.
Photo: CarNewsChina | YouTube
There aren’t many cars out there capable of doing the tank turn, especially now that Rivian decided to remove the feature from the R1T once they hit production, despite the advertising. The company’s CEO, R.J. Scaringe, explained that because the development team thought there would be drivers abusing the function.
Hopefully, Mercedes-Benz will think differently and roll out the EQG capable of tank-turning, as currently advertised. This past spring, a camouflaged prototype showed everyone how it was done.
The Zeekr 001 FR is currently available only in China. But the Chinese carmaker is evaluating the cost of homologation of the car for the European market to give the Model S Plaid a run for its money on the Old Content.
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