Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Nio has emerged victorious in a legal dispute against Cheshiji, a popular vlogger with millions of followers on the Douyin short-video platform. The final court ruling requires Cheshiji’s owner, Shanghai Yunti, to issue a public apology and pay financial damages to Nio, as announced by the EV maker’s legal department in a social media statement.
The legal battle ensued after Cheshiji alleged in a June 2, 2022 video that Nio engaged in price discrimination against Chinese consumers, asserting that the ES8’s domestic pricing significantly exceeded its cost in Norway. Nio promptly filed a lawsuit in late April, accusing the vlogger of disseminating false information and damaging the company’s reputation. At that time, Nio demanded a public apology on Douyin and RMB 2 million ($274,400) in damages.
The court’s initial decision, received by Nio on July 28, mandated a 30-day consecutive apology on Douyin and a financial penalty of RMB 300,000 ($41,160). The recent final verdict upholds this judgment, requiring Cheshiji’s owner to publish the apology and pay compensation within ten days of the effective date.
The court found that Cheshiji’s videos contained false information that misled viewers and demonstrated an evident fault on the vlogger’s part. Nio stated that the widespread dissemination of the infringing content, with over one million reposts, comments, and likes, caused irreparable damage to the company’s reputation.
In its commitment to combating misinformation, Nio emphasized its intention to pursue legal avenues against further infringements. The company is currently involved in another legal dispute with a different vlogger, Gu Yubo, owner of the Douyin account @Xiaoniushuoche. Nio has already secured a first-instance judgment against Gu, who was ordered to apologize and pay financial damages for intentionally distorting information and violating Nio’s reputation.
Nio has pledged to donate the compensation received from these legal victories to charitable causes, including education and elderly care. The company remains steadfast in its dedication to protecting its image and ensuring the accuracy of information circulating about its products and operations.