Avatr_12
Chinese automaker Avatr has filed a lawsuit against a popular blogger known as “Zurich Beileye” in China, accusing him of falsely claiming the company misrepresented the drag coefficient data for one of its most popular models, the Avatr 12. The automaker is seeking 10 million yuan (approximately 1.4 million USD) in damages for harm to its reputation.
According to a statement released by the plaintiff on May 13, 2025, the influencer is accused of distorting facts by claiming that Avatr used a prototype vehicle during its drag coefficient testing in a livestream meant to rebut Zurich Beileye’s earlier accusations of falsifying data. The lawsuit follows a video posted by “Zurich Beileye” on his social media channel, in which he apologized for the Avatr 12 controversy while simultaneously alleging that the company had used a prototype vehicle for the live test.
Part of the statement reads “The social media creator ‘Zurich Beileye’ has taken content out of context and deliberately created public confusion, further misleading the public about our test results and product recognition, causing additional damage to our brand image,”.
According to carnewschina, the intense competition among automakers in China has led to a rise in “Black PR”, a public relations campaign meant to disparage another entity for the purpose of calling into question their reputation. As a result, Avatr has issued a reward of 5 million yuan (694,400 USD) for credible information relating to black PR activity targeting the company.
