Zotye still "investigating" last week's Hangzhou EV taxi accident

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai April 16) - Zotye Auto has yet to determine the cause of last week's Hangzhou EV accident, the Beijing Times reported earlier this week. The accident saw one of Hangzhou's Zotye pure electric energy taxis spontaneously combusting.

The manufacturer said that they are currently conducting tests together with the relevant authorities to determine the cause behind the accident, after the completion of which they will conduct through safety maintenance of other EV taxis. Outside sources, such as Xu Xiangyang, head of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astromonics' School of Transportation Science and Engineering, lamented that the accident demonstrates that the country needs to improve safety standards for EVs.

The taxi is part of a fleet of thirty that Zotye made especially for Hangzhou, all of which have halted operation until the investigation is completed. The taxis used cheaper lead-acid batteries as opposed to higher quality but more expensive lithium batteries.