- AITO publicly tied a high-speed collision and front-end impact to an engine-compartment short and fluid leak that likely caused the October 17 M9 fire, distancing the event from battery-origin claims.
- The M9 logged 10,390 insurance registrations in September and AITO recorded 22,820 brand registrations, while the model ranks first in the luxury segment above RMB 500,000 (about $74,575).
- The recurrent third-fire disclosures this year target luxury EV buyers and rivals in the premium Chinese EV segment, with execution risks including investigation outcomes, reputational hit, and scrutiny of safety systems and supply-chain quality.
On October 21, AITO issued a statement regarding a collision and fire involving an AITO M9 in Shenmu, Yulin, Shaanxi province, on October 17.
According to the company, the accident occurred at around 11:25 p.m.
The vehicle was being driven manually and was traveling at 139.1 km/h as it passed through an intersection, well above the road’s 50 km/h speed limit.
The statement said the vehicle struck a square traffic-light pole at that speed and subsequently caught fire. The fire originated at the front of the vehicle, and no abnormalities had been detected before the incident.
Following the collision, the vehicle’s emergency call system was activated and connected successfully. AITO’s roadside assistance center also called China’s 122 traffic accident reporting hotline to report the incident.
AITO’s preliminary analysis suggests that the severe impact to the engine compartment at high speed may have caused an electrical short circuit and fluid leakage, potentially leading to the fire.
The company said it is cooperating with relevant authorities in the ongoing investigation and that the final findings will be determined by the official investigation.
AITO also described online claims that the incident involved a battery fire or a collision caused by the driver-assistance system as false information.
Notably, this is the third time this year that AITO has issued a statement in response to an M9 fire incident.
In February, an AITO M9 caught fire in Huizhou, Guangdong province.
AITO said at the time that the vehicle’s battery, motor and electronic control systems were functioning normally, and its preliminary assessment found that the incident was not caused by the vehicle itself.
In June, another AITO M9 in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, struck metal debris that had fallen from a vehicle ahead. The vehicle continued dragging the debris before catching fire.
AITO again said the vehicle’s battery, motor and electronic control systems had been operating normally before the incident and that the fire was not caused by the vehicle itself.
Compared with the two earlier statements, AITO’s response to the Yulin incident disclosed the vehicle’s speed and the location of the impact.
The preliminary analysis also points to the engine compartment rather than the battery pack as the possible source of the fire.
The incident comes as AITO continues to record strong sales. Data show that the brand had 22,820 vehicle insurance registrations in September, ranking first among the five brands under Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA).
The M9 accounted for more than 10,390 registrations that month, making it AITO’s best-selling model.
It also ranked first in monthly sales in the luxury vehicle segment priced above RMB 500,000 ($74,575) for four consecutive months.
Discover more from ChinaEVHome
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
