China Launches Multi-Agency Probe into Maextro
EV Brake Failures Amid Stricter Vehicle Safety Oversight
Three ministry-level authorities to
verify facts in viral video of snapping Maextro EV
brake pedals
·
Joint investigation launched: China’s
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has formed a joint
investigation team with the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and
the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) to investigate
reported brake-pedal failures in Maextro electric
vehicles.
·
Brake-pedal failure during testing: On 8
October 2026, Dongchedi, a car-information
platform owned by ByteDance, released a video showing the brake-pedal brackets
snapping on all three Maextro V800 multipurpose
vehicles during emergency-braking tests from 100 km/h.
·
Authorities promise action: MIIT
said the authorities were closely monitoring the incident and would release
relevant information in a timely manner.
·
Online misinformation under scrutiny: The
involvement of China’s internet regulator is expected to include scrutiny of
online information concerning the incident. Analysts said consumers would be
seeking transparency about the actual cause of the failures.
·
Manufacturer pledges cooperation: Maextro, a luxury EV brand jointly developed by Huawei and
JAC, said it would fully cooperate with the investigation to protect consumers
and support China’s electric-vehicle industry.
·
Remedial action: Maextro
announced that it would address the brake-pedal issue by the end of October
2026.
·
Premium vehicle under scrutiny: The Maextro V800 has a starting price of 766,000 yuan
(approximately US$113,582). JAC assembles the vehicles, while Huawei
provides smart-driving and digital-cockpit technologies through its Harmony
Intelligent Mobility Alliance.
·
Stricter vehicle-testing requirements proposed: On 10
October, MIIT and three other ministry-level departments published draft rules
requiring new vehicle models to complete adequate validation, including 30,000
km of road testing, before being offered to consumers.
·
Broader vehicle-quality campaign: China is
conducting nationwide inspections of domestically manufactured vehicles amid
concerns about safety and reliability.
·
Automobile market slowdown: Chinese
car sales fell 21.7% year-on-year to 13.3 million units during
January–September 2026, amid reduced government support, including smaller EV
purchase subsidies and the resumption of consumption tax.
Key Takeaway: China’s
investigation into the Maextro V800 brake failures
highlights growing regulatory scrutiny of EV safety and reliability. The
proposed 30,000-km testing requirement and nationwide vehicle inspections
signal tighter oversight of new automotive technologies.
Beijing
has enlisted the support of its top internet watchdog to deepen the
investigation into a car safety issue that put Chinese-made intelligent
vehicles under the spotlight.
The
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on Thursday that a
joint investigation team including officials from the Cyberspace Administration
of China (CAC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) would
verify facts regarding reports about brake pedal failures in tests of an
electric vehicle (EV) made by the Huawei Technologies-backed Maextro luxury brand.
The
three ministry-level authorities “have paid close attention to the issue”, the
MIIT said. “Relevant information will be released in a timely manner.”
The
statement showed that Chinese authorities would be resolute in addressing
concerns about Chinese EV quality and reliability amid a falling domestic
market, analysts said.
On
October 8, ByteDance-owned car-information platform Dongchedi
released a video showing that brake-pedal brackets snapped on all three Maextro V800 multipurpose vehicles used in a test of
emergency braking from 100km/h.
The
video went viral, while Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily said in a
commentary on Sunday that the incident underscored the importance of
strengthened oversight over the country’s “rapidly developed” EVs.
“The
internet regulator will be responsible for sifting out misinformation [about
the matter] online that could taint the reputation of Chinese carmakers,” said
Gao Shen, an independent analyst in Shanghai. “Consumers will be eager to see
the truth amid regulators’ heightened investigation efforts.”
Maextro, jointly developed by Huawei and JAC
and based in eastern China’s Anhui province, said in a statement on Thursday
that it would fully cooperate with the investigation team to safeguard the
interests of consumers and support the development of China’s EV industry.
On
Sunday, the brand said that it would address the brake pedal issue by the end
of this month. JAC assembles Maextro vehicles. Tech
giant Huawei, through its Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance, supplies
technology for smart driving and digital cockpits to the EVs.
The
Maextro V800 is one of the most expensive EV models
in mainland China, with a base price of 766,000 yuan (US$113,582).
On
Saturday, the MIIT, along with three other ministry-level departments,
published draft rules stipulating that sufficient vetting measures including
30,000km (18,641 miles) of road testing should be completed before any new
model was offered to consumers.
Car
sales in China slumped 21.7 per cent year on year to 13.3 million units in the
first nine months of 2026 due to narrowing government support such as smaller
EV purchase subsidies and a resumption of consumption tax.
In
August, MIIT vice-minister Xin Guobin said at a press
briefing in Beijing that new auto products and technologies would be barred
from entering the market unless they passed stricter approval procedures.
Beijing
is also carrying out a nationwide inspection campaign assessing the quality of
Chinese-made cars.