China’s Electric Car Nightmare: Fatal Fire Exposes Safety Concerns

Electric vehicles with a high risk of fire
Fatal accident occurs in China
Rescue is delayed because of the door handle

The market share of electric vehicles is gradually increasing, but it is still considered a transition period. There are several reasons why people are reluctant to buy electric vehicles. In particular, the fire risk caused by unstable lithium-ion batteries is a sensitive issue.

Recently, a tragic accident occurred in China in which an entire family died in an electric vehicle fire. Attention is focused on that one specification commonly found in new vehicles has caused a problem.

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Flames erupt immediately after the collision
3 people dead, including a 2-year-old baby

According to local Chinese media reports, including the Fengpai Newspaper, an AITO electric SU7 collided with a truck in front while driving at 115 km/h (71.45 mph) on the highway near Wencheng City, Shaanxi Province. Immediately after the accident, the vehicle exploded into flames and quickly engulfed in flames.

Drivers of other vehicles nearby attempted to extinguish the fire and rescue the occupants, but the doors of the accident vehicle did not open. An attempt was made to rescue the victim by breaking the back door window with a used fire extinguisher, but the flames spread to the entire vehicle. Ultimately, the driver and a 2-year-old baby in the car died in the fire, and the other person was rescued but died during treatment.

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AITO M7

Outraged Family Members
Safety Features Failed

The bereaved families expressed their anger, saying that all safety devices in preparation for the accident did not work correctly. In the case of a thermal runaway, where a fire spreads rapidly due to a battery explosion, the vehicle was equipped with a prevention device, but it did not work. In addition, the manual explains that the door lock unlocks in the event of a collision, but it was found that this also did not work correctly. The bereaved family explained that only three months had passed since the vehicle was purchased.

In particular, the flush-type door handle applied to the vehicle was also pointed out as a problem. It is normally embedded inside the door and protrudes electrically when opened and closed, but after the accident, it did not protrude and could not be opened. The flush-type door handle slightly reduces air resistance and has a neat appearance. It is a popular feature in the latest vehicles, especially electric vehicles where energy efficiency is essential.

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AITO M7 Door Handle

Manufacturer Denies Defects
Door handle regulation required

The AITO brand denied the allegations of defects through its Weibo account, saying, “The airbag and high-voltage battery operated normally.” However, he added, “I will faithfully cooperate with the police investigation.” AITO is a luxury electric vehicle brand produced through Huawei’s technology support for the Chinese electric vehicle company Seres. Huawei stated it was not responsible, saying the vehicle was” “manufactured only with technical support, including providing its parts, rather than through a joint venture.”

Meanwhile, industry experts point out that flush-type door handles must also be regulated. This is because in the case of the protruding method using an electric motor, there is no way to force open it in case of malfunction, and even if manual opening and closing is possible, there is a problem that you must know how to use it in advance.