Tesla emerged victorious in a Chinese court as it successfully refuted allegations of a brake defect raised by a persistent protester.
Elecktrek reports that the case, which unfolded over the past two years, involved a Model 3 owner, Ms. Zhang, who relentlessly protested at Tesla stores and events, claiming that a brake failure led to a severe accident involving another Tesla owner, Ms. Li.
Bizarre Tesla Protest
The bizarre saga first came to public attention in 2021 when Ms. Zhang staged protests at Tesla's booth during the Shanghai Motor Show.
The situation escalated when she was arrested by the police, sparking widespread public attention and criticism. Tesla's initial response to the incident was met with backlash, leading to a subsequent apology from the company for its handling of the situation.
Tesla Hits Back with Solid Evidence
Tesla, however, turned the tide by releasing detailed data logs from the Model 3 involved in the accident. These logs demonstrated that the driver, Ms. Li, was at fault and exposed a pattern of provocative behavior by Ms. Zhang leading up to her arrest.
This included bringing her crashed vehicle to a Tesla store and even hiring models to stand next to it. The revelation of these details significantly undermined the credibility of Ms. Zhang's claims.
During the court proceedings, Tesla took the additional step of having a third party inspect the vehicle to check the brakes, a process that Ms. Zhang allegedly tried to hinder. The inspection confirmed Tesla's stance that the brakes had no issue, further bolstering the automaker's case.
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Woman Behind Tesla Protest Fined
The Weiyang District People's Court in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, recently delivered its verdict, ruling that Ms. Zhang was at fault.
Electrek tells us that as part of the judgment, she is required to remove her social media posts claiming brake failure, issue a public apology to Tesla, and cover legal costs totaling 2,000 yuan (approximately US$280).
Additionally, she must pay 20,000 yuan to cover the expenses associated with the inspection.
Latest from Tesla
In other developments, Tesla's positive standing in China received a boost as President Xi Jinping expressed support for the electric vehicle manufacturer's development in the country during a recent meeting with CEO Elon Musk, Reuters reports.
This endorsement aligns with China's broader efforts to foster collaboration with US businesses, as evidenced by the upcoming China International Supply Chain Expo, where Tesla and Apple will be among the exhibitors.
The expo, scheduled to start on Nov. 28 in Beijing, aims to strengthen global supply chains, with a notable focus on active participation from US companies, including Amazon, Intel, Qualcomm, HP, and Google.
This underscores the significance of stable and smooth global supply chains, echoing President Xi's emphasis on the need for such arrangements during his recent trip to the US.
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