Xiaomi should proactively recall 370,000 first-generation SU7s to completely eliminate the door handle safety hazard.

A “Forensic Opinion” issued by Sichuan Xihua Traffic Judicial Appraisal Center brings a half-year-old accident back into the public eye.

On October 13 last year, a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra caught fire after a collision on Tianfu Avenue in Chengdu, Sichuan. According to the “Road Traffic Accident Determination,” the driver, Deng Moumou, was suspected of drunk driving and exceeding the speed limit significantly at the scene, bearing full responsibility.

However, behind the issues of drunk driving and speeding, there are more details worth industry reflection. The aforementioned “Forensic Opinion” reveals three key points:

First, Deng Moumou’s death was caused by the fire of the involved vehicle, not directly by the collision.

Second, the vehicle could not be opened from outside via the door handle, not due to deformation or damage to the door system.

Third, after the collision, power was cut off, causing the door handle to fail, and the external handle lacked a mechanical structure, resulting in rescue failure.

This clearly corresponds to the scene of the explosion. At that time, multiple people participated in rescue efforts, but “kicking and punching” failed to open the door. The “Forensic Opinion” mentions: the outer handle of the left front door was severely damaged with pry marks, internal components burned, the door lock body detached, the latch missing, and the window glass broken. Subsequently, rescuers watched helplessly as the fire engulfed the driver.

In other words, if the SU7 Ultra at that time had been equipped with a mechanical external door handle, rescuers would have had a high chance of pulling the driver out before the vehicle exploded, potentially saving a life.

Public criticism of door handle safety has existed for a long time. For example, in 2025, a Dongfeng Yipai 007 collided and veered off the road, and rescuers could not open the rear left door.

The potential safety risks of door handles increase the difficulty of escape and rescue in vehicle collisions and fires. Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology organized the development of the mandatory national standard “Safety Technical Requirements for Automotive Door Handles” (GB 48001-2026), approved and issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration, which will take effect on January 1, 2027.

This standard clearly requires that each door (excluding the tailgate) be equipped with a mechanical release handle on the outside and inside. Additionally, the external handle cannot be fully hidden and must leave an operation space of no less than 60mm×20mm×25mm (about 30 cubic centimeters).

Xiaomi and its founder Lei Jun have evidently recognized this. The new Xiaomi YU7 in 2025 and the upcoming new generation SU7 have abandoned the previous first-generation SU7’s design without a mechanical external handle. The Xiaomi YU7, after a collision, switches the external door lock to a mechanical design, allowing the door to be opened via a mechanical switch; the new generation SU7, according to Lei Jun, will fully comply with the door handle standard effective from January 1, 2027.

Kudos to Xiaomi for this. The adjustments in YU7 and the new SU7 are seen as substantive measures reflecting Xiaomi’s emphasis on vehicle safety, embodying the responsibility and social duty of a Fortune 500 company and leading Chinese tech enterprise.

But a practical issue remains: what about the owners of the first-generation SU7?

According to the “Forensic Opinion,” the vehicle involved in the Chengdu explosion was equipped with an emergency mechanical pull handle inside the door, but both outer handles were electrically released, with no mechanical handle. If the vehicle experienced a collision causing low-voltage system shutdown, the external handles could not open the doors, posing a significant safety hazard.

This means that the approximately 370,000 units of the discontinued first-generation SU7 (including the SU7 Ultra) all have obvious safety risks. Based on the March 2024 release date, their maximum usage period is just over two years. These vehicles with safety issues will still be in consumers’ hands and on public roads for a long time.

There are calls in the market urging Xiaomi to proactively recall the first-generation SU7 to eliminate the safety hazards related to the door handles.

First, proactively recalling the first-generation SU7 is Xiaomi’s responsibility to “early users” and to “historical versions.”

Recalls are never contrary to business rationality or “inefficient”; rather, they reflect continuous product improvement and demonstrate a company’s willingness to face issues and take responsibility for “legacy versions.” The owners of the first-generation SU7 are also regarded as Xiaomi’s “angel investors” in its crossover into automotive manufacturing, and their safety concerns deserve the highest level of response.

Many cases of safety hazards being addressed through recalls are documented. For example, at the end of last year, Li Auto recalled about 11,000 units of the Li ONE Model Year 2024, replacing coolant, power batteries, and front motor controllers for free, resulting in a loss of 1.1 billion yuan for Li Auto. Such decisive action is, to some extent, necessary to maintain brand reputation.

Second, proactively recalling the first-generation SU7 is an important way for Xiaomi to fulfill social responsibility and create public value.

The “Safety Technical Requirements for Automotive Door Handles” standard was initiated in May last year and released earlier this year, taking only about 240 days, demonstrating China’s commitment to high-quality automotive development and efficient regulatory implementation. However, the industry develops rapidly, and policy, standards, and regulations often have a time lag in decision-making, implementation, and effects. Relying solely on policies is insufficient.

This places higher demands on enterprises, especially large companies bearing greater social responsibility.

Since late last year, multiple departments have emphasized strengthening regulation of new energy vehicles and ensuring corporate safety responsibilities. The relevant head of the State Administration for Market Regulation has also stated that efforts will be made to innovate recall supervision, establish and promote a reporting system for fire accidents involving new energy vehicles, remote vehicle upgrades, and pilot automotive safety sandbox regulations. He emphasized that improving quality and ensuring safety ultimately depend on enterprises.

Proactively recalling models with confirmed safety hazards is a key step for internet-based automakers to shift from “marketing-driven” to “responsibility-driven” approaches. It is an important symbol of progress in China’s business civilization and a necessary path for China’s new energy vehicle industry to move from rapid growth to high-quality development.

(Source: Yicai)