Buyer locked out of EV after seller demands more money

A dispute over the purchase of a second-hand electric vehicle in Hebei province has drawn widespread attention.

On Sept 7, a man named Gong from Zhengzhou, Henan province, found a listing for a second-hand Xiaomi SU7 electric vehicle on an online platform. He traveled to Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, to buy the car, according to Jiupai News.

Gong initially paid 201,000 yuan ($28,500) to the seller and agreed to pay the remaining 4,000 yuan after completing the vehicle transfer. However, after driving the car home, the seller demanded more money, which Gong refused to pay.

In response, the seller remotely revoked Gong's authorization to the vehicle, locking it and rendering it unusable.

The seller claimed there was only a verbal agreement, and no formal purchase contract was signed. Since Gong had not made the full payment, the seller insisted on retaining control of the vehicle and denied any price increase.

However, chat records between Gong and the seller showed they had agreed on a price, and Gong had already paid most of the agreed amount. Despite this, the seller refused to acknowledge the agreement or negotiate.

Xiaomi's customer service explained that transferring vehicle control requires formal transaction documents. Without completing the title transfer, the vehicle's control cannot be changed.

Gong has decided to pursue legal action to enforce the contract and seek compensation for his losses.