Tesla's legal confrontations in China have taken a significant turn as a Chinese court ordered Zhang, a car owner, to pay approximately $23,000 in damages to the electric vehicle giant. The court also mandated that Zhang issue a public apology to Tesla. This decision comes as Zhang appeals the outcome, following Tesla's provision of telemetry data indicating that the brakes on her Model 3 functioned correctly during an alleged crash incident.
Over the past four years, Tesla has taken legal action against at least six car owners in China who have voiced complaints regarding mechanical issues with its vehicles. Among them is Zhang, who claimed that faulty brakes in a Tesla Model 3 led to a crash in February 2021. The incident resulted in a four-day hospital stay for her parents, prompting Zhang to protest publicly and subsequently sue Tesla for defamation. In response, Tesla countersued Zhang for defamation as well.
The court's decision was heavily influenced by telemetry data from Zhang's vehicle, which Tesla released to demonstrate that the brakes had performed as intended at the time of the crash. The Associated Press reviewed court filings from a Chinese government database, which revealed that Tesla owners have been largely unsuccessful in legal battles against the company. Out of 81 civil judgments where car owners sued Tesla, only nine resulted in victories for the plaintiffs.
Zhang's case is part of a broader pattern of defamation lawsuits filed by Tesla against individuals and media outlets in China who have been critical of the company. The AP investigation found that Tesla has sued at least six bloggers and two Chinese media outlets under similar circumstances.
Despite the court ruling in favor of Tesla, Zhang continues to pursue her appeal, maintaining her stance against the company's legal claims. The ongoing appeal signals Zhang's determination to challenge the court's decision and seek a different outcome.
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