On Aug. 19, twenty-nine media representatives from nine ASEAN countries and sixteen mainstream media outlets visited China’s only comprehensive tropical auto test facility, located in Qionghai, Hainan, where they embarked on a thrilling auto test journey in the hot, humid tropical island environment.

Auto test facility exhibition hall

Cars on the track at the auto test facility

Cars on the track at the auto test facility

When a vehicle enters the test facility in Qionghai, a challenge consisting of 30 road types across 18 categories begins. On the bumpy, pitted test track, riders were jounced up and down. On the inclined high-speed test track, they couldn’t help exclaiming in awe. The vehicle also traveled down the winding test track, ridged test track, cobblestone test track.... each different type of road gave the test car a different extreme tropical road condition simulation to traverse.

This is one of the world’s three largest tropical environment adaptability testing facilities, and there is much more to it than just road condition simulations. Six major types of tests are also carried out here, including weather resistance, high corrosion, and reliability tests, providing accurate on-site simulations of vehicle stability and testing vehicle performance in the extreme high temperature and high humidity tropical environment of Hainan. The facility also provides customized technical support for car companies, issuing professional reports detailing any issues uncovered during vehicle testing. Car companies can handle these issues independently or work with the test site to find solutions together.

Climate similarities have led to technical cooperation between Hainan and ASEAN nations. A reporter from the Thai-Chinese Journalists Association expressed hopes for international collaboration in the fields of electric and new energy vehicles, focusing on durability, product quality, and brand sustainability.

Members of the media delegation studied the information on display in the auto test facility exhibition hall.

Wang Xuanfeng, deputy general manager of the Hainan Tropical Auto Testing Company, is also optimistic about future cooperation. “As more Chinese cars are exported to Southeast Asia, there will be more technical exchanges and cooperation, gradually transforming our testing site from a domestic to an international tropical auto testing site."

ASEAN reporters conducted interviews at the auto test facility exhibition hall.

Thanks to the island province’s humid tropical environment, Hainan can replicate road conditions common in Southeast Asia and South America, attracting widespread attention. During the visit, ASEAN media representatives held in-depth discussions with auto test facility staff on the topics of auto test goals and practical needs, laying a solid foundation for future international collaboration. In addition, the beneficial policies of the Hainan Free Trade Port will facilitate further testing of imported vehicles, increasing the international appeal of this "hotbed of automotive testing."

(Photo: Hinews / Wang Wei)