London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

Tesla grilled by Chinese authorities over quality of Model 3 cars

Tesla grilled by Chinese authorities over quality of Model 3 cars

Five Chinese departments, including the State Administration for Market Regulation, ask the carmaker to comply strictly with the mainland’s laws and regulations and protect consumer rights.

Chinese authorities have raised issues concerning the safety of Tesla cars with executives of the world’s largest electric vehicle maker, urging it to comply with regulations and protect consumers.

The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said it had conducted interviews with Tesla officials in Beijing and Shanghai recently over safety issues and incidents reported by consumers, including unintended acceleration, battery fires and over-the-air updates, together with Cyberspace Administration of China, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Emergency Management.

They asked the California-based EV maker to comply strictly with China’s laws and regulations, strengthen its internal management, assume primary responsibility for safety, maintain public safety efficiently and protect consumer rights, according to statement published on SAMR’s website late on Monday.

Competition in the world’s largest market for new-energy vehicles has intensified, pitting Tesla against the likes of home-grown EV start-ups such as NIO, Xpeng and Li Auto.

Electric car sales in China jumped 12 per cent to 1.17 million units in 2020, defying the consumption slump and depressed sentiment due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sales this year may increase by 50 per cent to 1.8 million units and up to 3 million by 2025, spurred by generous government subsidies and new models, according to an estimate by industry officials.

The meeting between Chinese authorities and Tesla executives came a week after the carmaker apologised to China’s State Grid for blaming the state-owned utility’s power system for damage caused to a Model 3.

A Tesla employee told the car’s owner in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, that the car’s inverter was damaged because of a current overload caused by the utility.

After State Grid denied the allegations, Tesla apologised to the company for misleading consumers. It added that the technical issue with the Model 3 car was resolved and further investigation into the problem was conducted.

Over the past few months, local media have reported several complaints lodged by mainland drivers about the quality of the Shanghai-made Model 3 cars.

“The intervention by the ministry-level authorities showed that complaints over Model 3’s quality had risen to such a level that regulators had to give a warning to Tesla to solve the problems,” said Gao Shen, an independent analyst on manufacturing sectors in Shanghai. “It remains to be seen whether harsh punishments, such as fines, would be slapped on Tesla.”

In December, a war of words ensued between online technology media PingWest and the US carmaker regarding the quality of its locally-made cars.
PingWest labelled the Shanghai Gigafactory 3 a “Giga-sweatshop” and accused Tesla of using substandard components in the locally built Model 3s.

Tesla denied the charges and threatened to take the tech news provider to court.

The Gigafactory 3 is Tesla’s first plant outside the United States. On January 1, it launched the Model Y, its second model manufactured in Shanghai. The new model has drawn a massive number of orders, and some buyers will have to wait until the second quarter for their cars to be delivered.

Comments

Oh ya 5 year ago
Wow 2 things. 1st china calling anyone on quality is a joke and 2nd why would anyone with at least 2 working brain cells get into a electric car? Remember what you have been told about your cell phone? Don't carry close to body, not to sleep near it, use wired headphones not wireless . It is all because of electromagnetic radiation and yet you will strap yourself and kids into a electric car. Well cook Eddy and the twins and at least you will not be able to breed more stupid people. And maybe look into what your closest power plant is burning to make the power to run your electric car. Good chance is coal. Ya thats really clean

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Porsche Reverses EV Strategy as New CEO Bets on Petrol and Hybrids
Singapore’s Prime Minister Warns of ‘Messy’ Transition to Post-American Global Order
Andreessen Horowitz Sets Sights on Ten-Billion-Dollar Fund for Tech Surge
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
×