Avatr sues blogger for 1.4 million USD over drag coefficient testing claims

Chinese language electrical car producer Avatr Know-how has filed a lawsuit towards social media influencer “Zurich Beileye” (苏黎世贝勒爷) looking for damages of 10 million yuan (1.4 million USD) for allegedly misrepresenting information in regards to the firm’s aerodynamic testing procedures.

Authorized motion following a disputed apology

In accordance with an announcement launched by Avatr’s authorized division on Might 13, 2025, the influencer revealed what was presupposed to be an apology video. As a substitute, it continued to distort information by claiming that Avatr used a prototype car reasonably than a manufacturing mannequin throughout its drag coefficient testing stay stream.

“The social media creator ‘Zurich Beileye’ has taken content material out of context and intentionally created public confusion, additional deceptive the general public about our check outcomes and product recognition, inflicting further injury to our model picture,” Avatr acknowledged of their announcement.

Background of the dispute

The battle started when the influencer questioned the validity of Avatr’s drag coefficient assessments for his or her Avatr 12 mannequin, suggesting potential falsification of outcomes. In response, Avatr performed drag coefficient assessments and despatched a cease-and-desist letter demanding the elimination of all false statements and a public apology.

Whereas the influencer did publish an apology video as requested, Avatr claims he selectively edited clips from their livestream to recommend that they had used a prototype car for testing, which sparked renewed criticism towards the corporate.

Firm clarification

Avatr has emphasised that the wind tunnel testing was performed utilizing a manufacturing model of the all-electric Avatr 12 mannequin geared up with digital side-view mirrors, not a prototype, as alleged. This clarification was revealed on the corporate’s official social media accounts instantly after the assessments have been accomplished.

The corporate concluded its assertion by warning that the web will not be past the attain of the regulation. It should proceed to make use of authorized means to guard the official rights and pursuits of each the corporate and its customers towards rumours and defamation.

Editor’s remark

The rise of social media has prompted some content material creators to take dangers to achieve visitors or affect, typically resorting to spreading misinformation. Following their drag coefficient assessments, Avatr’s preliminary request to the blogger was comparatively lenient, merely asking for an apology reasonably than pursuing monetary compensation. Nevertheless, the blogger’s subsequent apology video got here throughout as insincere and opportunistic, main Avatr to provoke extra severe authorized proceedings towards them.

“Black PR” has just lately change into a major problem going through Chinese language automakers. Because of the terribly intense competitors in China’s new vitality car sector, some firms resort to hiring “black PR” operatives to disparage rivals’ merchandise. This strategy is especially troubling as a result of it’s low-cost, extremely efficient, and very covert.

In response to this concern, Avatr has supplied a considerable reward of 5 million yuan (694,400 USD) for info associated to “black PR” actions focusing on their firm. The prevalence of those damaging publicity campaigns serves as a microcosm of the fierce competitors at the moment characterising China’s automotive trade.