China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Cyberspace Administration of China and the State Administration for Market Regulation have formed a joint team to investigate reported brake pedal bracket fractures on the Zunjie V800, according to PCauto. The three ministries said on October 15 that they would conduct a full review and handle the matter according to law, with findings to be released to the public.
Zunjie, the premium brand co-developed by Huawei and JAC, said in a statement that it would fully cooperate with the investigation and protect consumer rights. The probe follows a test video published on October 8 by Autohome rival Dongchedi, in which three brand-new V800 vehicles from different production batches were subjected to repeated 100 km/h-to-zero braking runs on a closed course. In all three, the brake pedal bracket fractured during continuous full-force braking, with similar failure points and patterns; one car failed on its third stop, another on only its second.
The video quickly went viral and topped social-media trending lists. In an initial response, Zunjie said its braking system had been developed and validated to standards exceeding national and industry requirements, and that no pedal bracket failures had occurred in real-world use since deliveries began. It added that it would optimize component design and offer free upgrades to existing owners. Zunjie customer service later told media that an upgrade plan for the V800's brake pedal bracket would be confirmed by the end of October, with installations starting in November.
On October 13, a document purportedly sent to V800 owners said a state-accredited third-party lab had tested the pedal and found it compliant with industry standard QC/T 788-2018, including a stricter 3,000-newton vertical load that produced no cracks or damage. The statement did not quell online debate.
Flagship model under scrutiny
The Zunjie V800, a large MPV co-developed by Huawei and JAC, went on sale in August with a Chinese guide price of 766,000 to 1,016,000 yuan (about $107,900 to $143,100), before taxes and incentives. The failure of a core braking component just over two months after launch has sparked wider discussion about safety margins in premium new-energy vehicles.
The controversy has also hit JAC's stock, with shares falling by the daily limit for two consecutive sessions. Dealerships report growing hesitation among potential buyers. The three-ministry intervention marks an escalation from a company-level issue to official regulatory scrutiny, and the outcome could influence quality standards across China's high-end EV segment, PCauto noted.
