Xiaomi electric car reportedly bursts into flames after collision in China, 3 women killed

A Xiaomi electric vehicle (EV) reportedly burst into flames after it collided with a roadside barrier, Chinese media reported.

All three women in the car at the time were killed.

It was reported that the at least two of the victims were related.

After catching fire, the car's power was cut off and its doors could not be unlocked, preventing its occupants from escaping, relatives of the deceased claimed.

The car in question was an SU7 sedan, which was launched in March 2024.

In a Weibo post, a Xiaomi spokesperson said it is cooperating with police investigations.

The incident

The accident reportedly occurred in a section of the road that was undergoing road works.

The original lane was blocked by barriers, which the vehicle's smart driving system — Navigate on Autopilot — managed to detect.

The car then issued a risk warning, Xiaomi said according to Reuters.

It was travelling at 116km/h at the time.

But when the driver tried to switch it over to manual mode to slow down, it collided with a cement pole at 97km/h.

It then caught fire.

Locked in

Local traffic police reportedly told the father of one of the victims that after catching fire, the car doors remained locked and could not be unlocked with the car keys.

The victims were unable to escape the blaze.

Photos of the accident's aftermath showed the car severely burnt.

In its statement, Xiaomi said: "There is no precise conclusion currently as to whether the car door was able to be opened at the time of the accident."

It confirmed that the fire did take place after the accident.

On social media, a person claiming to be the mother of one of the victims said the car had been purchased less than half ago in October 2024, Chinese news outlet Sina News reported.

Hospital staff also allegedly revealed that by the time they arrived, the two people in the car's front seats were burnt beyond recognition.

Top image by Sina News