A Tesla Model 3 sedan exploded this week in a Chinese garage, according to local media reports.
The car exploded Tuesday night in an underground garage in a residential community in Shanghai, where Tesla opened a factory in late 2019, several Chinese media reported.
Tesla told reporters no one was injured in the crash, but flames shattered the interior of the car and appeared to throw away its body, according to photos posted on the spot.
The electric car maker told local media that the incident was likely caused by an impact on the underside of the car that damaged the battery.
The vehicle apparently caught fire after its bottom hit a mouthpiece as the driver entered the garage, Shanghai’s Xinmin Evening News reported, citing the complex’s property office.
Tesla said it is cooperating with the local fire department and helping the owner apply for insurance, according to Yicai Global, a financial news outlet.
It is unclear whether the Model 3 was manufactured at the Tesla plant in Shanghai or imported from the United States. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post on Thursday morning.
The blast came amid safety concerns over Tesla vehicles in China, which is an increasingly important market for carmaker Elon Musk’s business.
The Economic Information Daily published an article earlier this month criticizing Tesla’s driver assistance technology and the retractable door handles of his cars. This followed Tesla’s October recall of about 30,000 vehicles in China due to suspension issues, which the company said were caused by “driver abuse” rather than a defect.
Tesla also sent a team to China in 2019 to investigate reports of the explosion of one of its Model S sedans.
Tesla shares rose about 0.6 percent in premarket trading on Thursday to $ 856 as of 7:21 p.m.