On August 1, 2023, a Nio ES 8 SUV was involved in a traffic accident in Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province, China, resulting in a fire. The vehicle’s driver was a 52-year-old woman, the founder of a catering start-up.
According to information from a source familiar with the incident, vehicle data indicated that the Nio ES 8 was traveling at a speed of 174 kilometers per hour at the time of the collision. Subsequently, the vehicle collided with a barrier stone pile on the side of the road, which led to a fire. Firefighters arrived at the scene and managed to extinguish the flames. Tragically, the vehicle’s driver was pronounced dead at the accident site. No passengers were present in the car during the incident. Currently, the local police and Nio company have not released an official statement, and the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation.
As electric vehicles (EVs) become more widely adopted, concerns about their safety have been raised. In June 2023, a separate incident occurred in Zhejiang Province, China, where a Volkswagen ID.4 vehicle collided with a stone. Shockingly, within less than 3 seconds, the car rapidly caught fire, leading to the tragic death of all four occupants.
The safety of EVs has become a topic of growing interest as more people embrace this eco-friendly form of transportation. However, it is essential to remember that traffic accidents can result from a combination of factors, and specific incidents should be thoroughly investigated to understand the contributing factors accurately. Neither the local police nor the Nio company has issued an official statement regarding the recent Nio ES 8 accident, so it is vital to await the investigation’s findings before drawing any conclusions about the vehicle’s safety.
The incident serves as a reminder that road safety remains a critical concern, regardless of the type of vehicle involved. Traffic accidents can have devastating consequences, and efforts should continue to focus on promoting responsible driving behavior, enforcing traffic laws, and adopting technologies to enhance road safety.
Source: Ifeng; Sina; Taipingyang
As the EV vehicle population grows at a breakneck speed, get ready for more of this. And we need to take note of the correlation between battery types, and an intense fire like this one. Fire was probably so hot and fast that no one on the scene had the chance to be a hero coming to the rescue.
Well, if the driver was indeed driving at 174 km per hour (!), the problem isn’t just the flammable battery.