A Tesla customer has appealed a defamation ruling after the company moved to restrict her spending. Zhang Mouzhou, who protested on a Tesla vehicle rooftop, applied to the Shanghai High Court for a retrial in the defamation case on December 30, following financial restrictions imposed by Tesla (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. on December 19.
Tesla sued Ms. Zhang in October 2021, seeking 5 million yuan in damages. The action followed Ms. Zhang’s April 19, 2021, protest at the Shanghai Auto Show, where she climbed onto a display car and claimed “Tesla brakes failed.” On July 11, 2025, the Shanghai Second Intermediate People’s Court upheld an initial ruling, finding Ms. Zhang liable for reputation infringement and ordering her to issue an apology to Tesla and pay approximately 172,300 yuan in damages after four years of litigation.
In a separate dispute, the Daxing District People’s Court of Beijing ruled in September that Tesla must provide Ms. Zhang with 30 minutes of driving data preceding an accident. The court found this data necessary for comprehensive vehicle analysis and within the scope of the consumer’s right to know. Ms. Zhang stated on December 30 that Tesla has appealed this ruling, and the second instance is underway.
