Tesla China has pledged its full cooperation to authorities’ investigation following a Model 3 crash in Rui’an, Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. One of the vehicle’s occupants passed away, and the driver was injured due to the incident.
The Rui’an traffic police reported that on February 17, the ill-fated Tesla Model 3 crashed into a bus after speeding through urban roads. Surveillance footage around the area showed the vehicle nearly crashing into an electric bicycle and several cars at an intersection before it stopped. At the time of the impact, the vehicle’s brake lights do not seem to be engaged.
The Model 3 was going so fast that after passing over a bridge, the vehicle almost landed on its front end. The Tesla’s impact against the bus was massive, with a local police bulletin stating that the incident injured the driver, killed an occupant of the Model 3, and damaged three other cars in the area.
Tesla China informed Shanghai Securities News that it was very sad about the incident. The company also pledged to work fully with investigators to determine what caused the crash. The EV maker further urged people to not spread unverified information until the results of the investigation are completed.
“We are very sad about this accident. We fully understand everyone’s concern about this accident. Currently, the local traffic police are investigating the cause of the crash, and we will do our best to cooperate with the authorities. We also ask everyone not to believe or spread unconfirmed information,” Tesla China noted.
Tesla China’s request comes amidst rumors emerging about the crash online, some of whom have pointed the blame to a potential fault in the vehicle. The company has been subjected to such allegations in the past, with many claiming that its cars have “brake problems” that can cause crashes. So far, however, most investigations have determined that crashes are caused by driver error, not alleged brake issues.
Watch the video of the incident below. Do note that it is graphic, so viewer discretion is advised.
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