Chinese electric car brand NIO says 2 killed in vehicle fall
The Chinese electric car brand NIO says two employees involved in testing died when one of its vehicles fell three stories from a parking structure in Shanghai
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Two people involved in testing for the electric car brand NIO died when one of its vehicles fell three stories from a Shanghai parking structure, the company said Friday.
The crash Thursday was under investigation but appeared to be an accident and “not caused by the vehicle,” the company said in a statement. It said the employees who died were “digital cabin testers,” one from NIO and the other from a partner.
The vehicle fell from the third floor of a parking structure adjacent to the company’s Shanghai Innovation Port building, the company said.
Photos in Chinese media showed the vehicle lying on its side with its roof caved in, surrounded by broken glass and emergency workers.
NIO Inc., founded in 2014, is a Chinese-Western hybrid with bases in Shanghai, London and Silicon Valley and the most prominent premium-priced Chinese brand in a crowded electric vehicle industry with dozens of competitors. Its early investors included Chinese tech giants Tencent, Baidu and Lenovo.
The company has a service that allows owners to swap drained batteries instead of recharging them. It has set up 143 battery-swap stations in cities including Beijing and Shanghai.
___
NIO Inc.: www.nio.com
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.