Forensic reports obtained by Caixin reveal the vehicle was traveling at 167 km/h when the collision occurred. The driver could not escape because the doors became inoperable after the system lost power.

The incident, which took place on 13/10/2025, resulted in the death of 31-year-old Dang. Authorities identified him as the driver, operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol. The accident happened around 3:00 am when Dang's Xiaomi collided with another vehicle on a Chengdu road, then struck a median barrier, and caught fire.

Bystanders attempted to open the doors to rescue the driver in the burning car. Screenshot.

The forensic report from the Sichuan forensic center detailed crucial aspects of the accident. The car was traveling at approximately 203 km/h three seconds before impact, decelerating to 167 km/h during the collision with the vehicle ahead, and 138 km/h when it struck the median barrier.

Safety experts found the most alarming detail to be the discovery that "the doors could not be opened from the outside because the collision caused the low-voltage electrical system to lose power, disabling the door handle's opening function". The report noted the car's doors featured electric opening buttons on the exterior but lacked an emergency mechanical handle that could operate without electricity.

Witness accounts described a horrific scene. One person stated the car erupted in flames three separate times within 5 minutes of the collision. Despite multiple bystanders attempting to save the driver, the car doors remained jammed from both the inside and outside.

Video footage shows one individual forcefully pulling on the driver's side door, staggering back, another striking the window with an elbow, and a third kicking it several times, all without success.

The vehicle uses electric doors with a mechanical emergency release handle positioned to require a user to extend their arm through the window to reach it from the outside, as Caixin reporters confirmed at a Xiaomi oto showroom.

This marks the third Xiaomi car fire in 2025 and the second instance where the issue of doors failing to open after a collision has arisen. In March 2025, a Xiaomi SU7 crashed on a highway in Anhui, killing three people. Similar concerns about locked doors were raised in that incident.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of China addressed these safety concerns by drafting new mandatory standards for oto door handles. The new regulations, approved in 1/2026, will require all doors to have mechanical handles operable without electricity, even after battery failure or overheating. Manufacturers have until 2027 to implement these changes on new models and until 2029 for existing models.

The victim's family has disputed the accident responsibility assessment, which placed full blame on the driver. Their lawyers stated that while the driver may bear responsibility for the collision, this does not address the vehicle's potential safety issues that prevented escape after the accident, according to CarNewsChina.

The incident has sparked a widespread debate on electric vehicle safety, particularly concerning door design and battery safety in crash scenarios. The victim's family is reportedly requesting further investigation into whether the car experienced any braking system abnormalities or loss of control before the impact.

My Anh