Author: Lingyun

From the global launch in December 2020, to the official listing on June 19th this year, and then the first production car coming off the line on June 30th, the Voyah FREE has not only maintained a good level of attention, but also attracted a continuous stream of consumers who are eager to make reservations.

Voyah FREE is the first model of Voyah, defined as a “performance-level intelligent electric SUV”. The car has two power forms: extended-range electric and pure electric, priced at 3.136 million to 3.336 million yuan. Among them, the pure electric version with a driving range of 500 kilometers under working conditions is more suitable for users whose main driving environment is in the city. The extended-range version adds a range extender composed of a 1.5T four-cylinder engine and a generator on the basis of the three-electric system, supporting three energy supplement modes: slow charging, fast charging, and refueling, with a driving range of 860 kilometers, which can effectively alleviate user anxiety about driving range.

As a completely new model of a completely new brand, the attention that Voyah FREE has received is unlike any other new model of a new force. So what kind of charm does the car have? On July 2nd, at the “Voyah FREE High-Performance Racetrack Challenge Camp” held at Beijing Haidian Airport Test Drive Site, the author found the answer.

This event was a closed-circuit test drive experience, with multiple experience projects including 0-100 km/h acceleration, 0-100 km/h braking, slalom, sleepers, bumpy roads, broken-line roads, and S-shaped roads set up on site. Through this test drive, the author experienced the agile handling, high performance and all-around luxury of Voyah FREE.

Agile Handling and Performance

As a model defined as a “performance-level intelligent electric SUV”, one of the biggest selling points of Voyah FREE is high performance. Through the test drive experience, the author believes that the actual performance of Voyah FREE is basically in line with the officially advertised data.

For example, in the 0-100 km/h acceleration project, with the highest power of 510 kW, peak torque of 1040 Nm from the dual motors, and a wind resistance coefficient as low as 0.28 cd, Voyah FREE can achieve a time of 4.5 seconds. During the experience, when pressing the accelerator all the way down, the author felt the ferocious power of Voyah FREE, and the strong pushing feeling made the author’s adrenaline soar.

In the 0-100 km/h braking test, the shortest braking distance of the Lynk & Co 01 Free with the Bosch iBooster 2.0 braking system and ESP 9.3Hev vehicle stability system is only 35.9 meters, leading most mid-to-large luxury SUV models in the same class. According to on-site staff, such heavy braking only occurs in special emergency situations in daily driving scenarios. A shorter braking distance plays a crucial role in driving safety and can effectively avoid the danger of collisions.

Compared to the 0-100 km/h acceleration and braking tests, the slalom test has higher requirements for the vehicle’s stability. This test mainly evaluates the vehicle’s chassis hardware, tire performance, and tuning level and is an important indicator to assess the vehicle’s emergency avoidance ability. Although the difficulty level is high, with the combination of front double-wishbone + rear multi-link independent suspension, luxury-level chassis tuning, Pirelli P-ZERO high-performance tires, and the support of the vehicle’s stability system, the Lynk & Co 01 Free still passed the test smoothly at a high speed.

During the test, the four wheels of the Lynk & Co 01 Free could firmly grip the ground with a small body tilt angle, giving the driver a strong sense of confidence.

In addition, to further improve the vehicle’s overall performance, the Lynk & Co 01 Free is also equipped with active adjustable air suspension. According to the introduction, the suspension can be adjusted up and down by 100mm and can adaptively adjust the chassis height to different road conditions. When facing urban road conditions, it can be adjusted to the lowest point to improve driving comfort, and in complex road conditions, the ground clearance can be increased to bring better accessibility.

During the railway tie road and bumpy road tests, the author experienced the comfort mode, off-road mode, and sport mode of the Lynk & Co 01 Free respectively. The height and hardness performance of the chassis of the Lynk & Co 01 Free are different under different driving modes, which can meet the diverse needs of different consumers for driving modes.

It is worth mentioning that no matter which driving mode is selected, the Lynk & Co 01 Free has good shock absorption and driving comfort performance on the railway tie road and bumpy road.

Equipped with stylish design and excellent configuration

Currently, in the increasingly competitive domestic high-end new energy vehicle market, it seems unrealistic to rely solely on high performance to win a place. Lynk & Co clearly recognizes this. Therefore, the Lynk & Co 01 Free also has excellent performance in terms of design and configuration.## The Appearance Design

The front face of the Voyah FREE has a similar style to that of a “peng spreading its wings,” with a large size and waterfall-type intake grille matched with LED headlights, creating a striking overall visual effect. The through-type taillights at the rear are very eye-catching, and the lower bumper appears more dynamic after being black smoked.

Interior Design

Upon entering the car, the first impression the Voyah FREE gives is “luxury to the fullest.” Specifically, the Voyah FREE’s interior is covered in a large amount of soft materials with contrasting color design, and both the texture and appearance of the interior are quite classy.

Configuration

In terms of configurations, the Voyah FREE includes a range of features such as intelligent dimmable panoramic skylights, a combination of lift-and-rise tri-screen, leather seats with 12 electric memory adjustments, ventilation, heating, and massage functions, as well as a Level 2+ advanced intelligent driving assistance system that includes four-tone zone voice recognition, NVS active night vision system, and APA automatic parking assist system.

The three 12.3-inch screens pass through the entire central control area and can be raised or lowered according to the driving mode. The L2+ advanced intelligent driving assistance system can achieve up to 20 intelligent driving assistance functions and a 360-degree intelligent perception through 24 high-precision intelligent sensors.

It’s worth mentioning that the Voyah FREE also has a vehicle firmware and software upgrade function, allowing for online upgrades of software and firmware including intelligent voice, map navigation, video and audio entertainment, vehicle control, suspension system, power control, and advanced intelligent driving assistance systems.

When driving, I experienced the 360-degree intelligent perception, lane keeping and other intelligent technology configurations. In my opinion, these configurations not only enhance the safety of driving and riding, but also make driving more worry-free.

In addition to the excellent appearance and intelligent technology configurations, the Voyah FREE also boasts many market-oriented benefits. According to the introduction, the first owner of the Voyah FREE enjoys four major time-limited benefits and six major free benefits. The four major time-limited benefits (before July 29th) include lifetime free charging, upgraded coverage for the enhanced version, 3-year interest-free car purchase, and 3-year value-preserved repurchase.

The six major service guarantee benefits include lifetime whole vehicle quality assurance, lifetime three-electric quality assurance, lifetime free vehicle equipment flow, lifetime free OTA upgrade, lifetime free road rescue, and free charging pile and installation services.

Voyah Automotive CEO Lu Fang once stated that with a new strategy, a new organizational structure, a new business model, and a new mentality that is open to new things and fresh ideas, the Voyah brand, which understands young consumers, is a “new force” in car manufacturing. Through the test drive experience of the Voyah FREE, I believe that both the Voyah brand and this model deserve to be called “new forces” in car manufacturing.

This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.