The investigation results have been released for the Xiaomi vehicle collision and fire incident in Chengdu. According to forensic reports obtained by Chinese magazine Caixin, the vehicle was travelling at 167 km/h at the time of the collision, and the driver was unable to escape because the doors could not be opened after the low-voltage system lost power.
The incident, which occurred on October 13, 2025, resulted in the death of a 31-year-old man identified as Deng, who was found to have been driving under the influence of alcohol. The accident happened around 3 a.m. when Deng’s Xiaomi vehicle collided with another car on Tianfu Avenue South in Chengdu, subsequently crossed the central divider, and caught fire.
The forensic report from Sichuan Huaxi Transportation Judicial Appraisal Centre reveals critical details about the accident. The vehicle was travelling at approximately 203 km/h three seconds before the collision, slowing to 167 km/h at the moment of impact with the vehicle ahead, and 138 km/h when it hit the central divider.
Most concerning to safety experts quoted by Caixin is the finding that “the doors could not be opened from the outside because the collision caused the low-voltage system to lose power, disabling the door handle release function.” The report noted that the car’s doors had electric release buttons on the exterior but lacked emergency mechanical handles that could operate without power.
Eyewitness accounts describe a harrowing scene. Mr Yuan, who arrived at the scene shortly after the accident, told Caixin that the vehicle experienced three separate combustions within five minutes after the collision. Despite the efforts of multiple bystanders who attempted to rescue the driver, the doors could not be opened from either inside or outside the vehicle.
Video footage shows one person pulling so forcefully on the driver’s door that they stumbled backwards from the effort, but the door remained sealed. Another rescuer managed to break the window with a wrench and reached inside to find the interior door handle, but reported that it “wouldn’t open” just before a muffled explosion was heard from beneath the vehicle.
The vehicle uses electric doors with emergency mechanical release handles located in a position that requires a person to fully extend their arm through the window to reach from the outside, as verified by Caixin reporters at a Xiaomi car showroom.
This marks the third Xiaomi vehicle fire incident in 2025 and the second time questions have been raised about doors failing to open after a collision. In March 2025, a Xiaomi SU7 crashed on a highway in Anhui province’s Tongling, resulting in three fatalities. Similar concerns about locked doors were raised in that incident.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has responded to these safety concerns by drafting new mandatory standards for car door handles. The new regulations, approved in January, will require all doors to be equipped with mechanical handles that can operate without power, even after battery failure or thermal runaway incidents. Manufacturers have until 2027 to implement these changes in new models and until 2029 for existing models.
The victim’s family has disputed the accident responsibility determination, which placed full blame on the driver. Their lawyer stated that while the driver may be responsible for the collision itself, this doesn’t address the vehicle’s potential safety issues that prevented escape after the crash.
The incident has sparked widespread public discussion about the safety of electric vehicles, particularly regarding door design and battery safety in collision scenarios. The family is reportedly seeking further investigation into whether the vehicle experienced braking abnormalities or loss of control before the collision.
Follow us for ev updates