A Chinese court has sentenced a blogger to 20 months in prison after determining that he deliberately fabricated a viral crash-test video designed to damage the reputation of Xiaomi’s SU7 electric vehicle.
According to Chinese state media, the Haidian District People’s Court found that the blogger, identified as Gao, intentionally manipulated a Xiaomi SU7 before filming a staged safety demonstration. In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a 100,000 yuan (approximately $14,800) fine.
The controversial video, published in August 2024, claimed to show that the SU7’s doors failed to open after a collision, the emergency call system did not activate, and the vehicle’s central display remained unresponsive following the impact. Shared with the blogger’s audience of roughly one million followers, the video quickly spread online, attracting around three million views.
Court findings concluded that the demonstration had been intentionally falsified. Investigators determined that Gao and his team disconnected or tampered with the vehicle’s auxiliary battery before the test and used footage of a battery that had been damaged separately by a forklift, creating the false impression that the failures resulted from the crash itself.
The case reflects China’s broader effort to combat misinformation within its rapidly expanding electric vehicle industry. Over the past year, regulators have intensified enforcement against false advertising, misleading product claims, and online content viewed as unfairly influencing consumer purchasing decisions or distorting market competition.
Authorities have increasingly targeted social media influencers, content creators, and online platforms accused of spreading fabricated information about automotive brands. As competition among Chinese EV manufacturers intensifies, regulators are seeking to ensure that marketing and public commentary remain based on verifiable facts rather than manipulated demonstrations.
For Xiaomi, whose SU7 has become one of China’s fastest-growing electric vehicles, the ruling represents a legal victory in protecting its brand reputation. The company had previously announced that individuals responsible for spreading false information about Xiaomi Auto had been detained under Chinese law.
The case also serves as a reminder of the growing influence of online creators in shaping consumer opinion—and the increasing legal consequences that can arise when viral content is found to be intentionally deceptive.