We reject the sale in Mexico of the Chinese car Chang Li S1 Pro on e-commerce platforms as it does not comply with the country's vehicle safety regulations
June 15, 2023 | : Press, Vehicle safety, Efficient transportation, Efficient vehicles
We reject the sale in Mexico of the Chinese car Chang Li S1 Pro on e-commerce platforms as it does not comply with the country's vehicle safety regulations
June 15, 2023 | : Press, Vehicle safety, Efficient transportation, Efficient vehicles
96 765 861 0
Chang Li S1 Pro cars, three, on display
June 14, 2023. Civil society organizations express our total rejection of the entry into the country of cars like the Chang Li S1 Pro, which has recently generated a lot of interest among consumers due to its “low cost” ($20 thousand Mexican pesos). ).
Consumer Power, South | The Institute of the Urban South and Refleacciona con Responsibilidad agree that their sale “represents a serious danger not only for those who occupy them, but also for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, who, given the illegality of these vehicles and their unacceptable level of safety, in the event of a traffic accident, they can suffer serious injuries and even lose their lives.”
This car of Chinese origin is freely marketed on digital platforms and, according to its specifications, it has a range of 50 to 70 kilometers, can generate a power of 67 horsepower and a speed of between 30 to 40 kilometers per hour. Regarding the inclusion of vehicle safety devices, the manufacturer's page1 only indicates that it has disc brakes on all four wheels.
Stephan Brodziak, Vehicle Safety coordinator at El Poder del Consumidor, stated: “Cars like the Li S1 Pro and its possible sale and circulation in the country can considerably delay the penetration in Mexico of technologies in cars that protect people, their families and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. "We must not forget the terrible pandemic of road deaths that daily impacts 44 families who lose a loved one."
And he added “we recently participated in the Stop The Crash event in Mexico, an initiative of Latin NCAP and Global NCAP, which aims to show the safety potential of technologies that save lives, they have made it clear to us that we must move forward, as a country, and Latin American region, towards the prompt penetration of these technologies, either voluntarily due to market pressure or mandatory through the relevant regulation.”
The Official Mexican Standard, NOM-194-SE-2021,2 that governs our country establishes the minimum safety standards that a car must meet before it can be marketed, whether domestically or foreign manufactured.
This NOM is the result of several years of working to improve the safety of cars in Mexico and, although it is still not enough, it establishes a minimum floor that must be met for the protection of people, therefore, it is unacceptable. that cars that do not comply with this standard and are illegal are marketed and imported.
For his part, José Arévalo, specialist in public law at Sur | The Institute of the Urban South highlighted that “it is important that the authorities establish a position in favor of road safety and compliance with the law, regarding the possible entry and circulation of this type of very low security vehicles, which would give certainty to consumers while putting a stop to speculation.”
It is necessary, he noted, “to make clear, especially to consumers, the illegality of buying and importing a car that does not comply with the regulations, but above all the high risk that purchasing a vehicle with these characteristics represents, which although does not reach high speeds, it faces the risk of colliding with other vehicles traveling at higher speeds, in addition, there is also the risk of being able to run over a pedestrian or a cyclist as it lacks the minimum protection devices, and this could cause serious injuries. injuries.”
NOM-194-SE-2021, whose update was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation in 2022, indicates that vehicles, including electric vehicles, must compulsorily comply with: protection of occupants against frontal impact, protection of occupants against side impact , 3-point seat belts, head restraints and ABS brakes.3 Starting in 2025, they must comply with ESC and Latch or ISOFIX anchorages for Child Restraint Systems. A year later, specific protection devices for electric vehicles and tire pressure monitoring must be included. By 2027, the incorporation of the side pole impact test will be mandatory.
Sajidh de la Cruz, director of Vehicle Safety, of Refleacciona con Responsibilidad, pointed out that “the possible sale and circulation in the country of cars like the Li S1 Pro is unacceptable, since in their importation they seek to circumvent the law with tariff fractions different from those that apply to light vehicles, in this way, they want to avoid compliance with the NOM-
194-SE-2021, when it is evident that this vehicle does fall into the applicable category for compliance with this regulation, since it is a motor vehicle weighing more than 400 kilos.”
The organizations also point out other examples where "it should be made clear why their marketing is allowed in the country", such as the case of the company Zacua, which markets two electric vehicles: Zacua MX2 and MX3.
According to the manufacturer's website, they indicate that their vehicles meet all the requirements of the Official Mexican Standard NOM-194-SE-2021 regarding safety devices in new vehicles, which includes ABS brakes. In addition, they have a three-point seat belt. However, in their frequently asked questions section, specifically when it is questioned whether cars can enter motor transport platforms, they respond that it is not possible "since it does not have airbags", a mandatory requirement in the standard that requires compliance with frontal impact tests. If they do not have these safety devices, they are clearly failing to comply with the NOM-194 standard, which makes them very low safety cars.
Finally, the organizations called on the Ministry of Economy to issue a position and stop the possible sale of these cars as they are unable to comply with Mexican laws and regulations.
Ciudadanos preocupados por la defensa de nuestros derechos como consumidores, y por fomentar la conciencia de las responsabilidades que asumimos al adquirir un servicio o un producto.
elpoderdelconsumidor.org