A man in Shandong, China, caused a stir by using oxen to pull his Tesla Model 3. This unusual act was a protest against Tesla and Guazi, a popular used car trading platform. The “ox-pulled Tesla” story quickly went viral, attracting widespread attention.
The incident began when the man bought a used Tesla Model 3 on Guazi for 101,000 RMB (approximately $14,000 USD). However, his excitement was short-lived when he discovered the car couldn’t charge, even after trying overnight. Compared to the official Tesla Model 3 price in China, which reaches 335,900 RMB (about $47,000 USD), the used car was significantly cheaper.
A Chinese man protesting against Tesla and Guazi by using oxen to pull his Tesla.
After contacting both Guazi and Tesla without reaching a compensation agreement, the owner came up with the unique idea of “ox-pulled Tesla”. He used his oxen to pull the Tesla through the streets, turning it into a mobile protest. On the car’s body, the man painted “Guazi is a fraud” to express his dissatisfaction.
The “ox-pulled Tesla” immediately attracted attention on the streets. Many passersby stopped to film, take pictures, and share on social media, turning the event into a viral phenomenon. The “ox-pulled Tesla” protest ended when the man brought the car in front of a Guazi used car showroom.
A representative from Guazi’s customer service later told ifeng.com that the car had undergone an inspection process before being listed on the platform. They explained that the man bought the car through Chasupai, a special channel of Guazi.
A crowd of people recording the scene of oxen pulling a Tesla on a Chinese street.
The Guazi employee added that Chasupai mainly targets used car dealers who buy cars at low prices to resell for profit. The Tesla with the faulty battery was part of a Chasupai promotion, so the buyer was responsible for assessing the car’s condition and accepting the risk.
On October 23, Guazi announced that the seller of the problematic Tesla was not an individual but a professional car business with over 30 transactions on the platform. According to the inspection report, the car had run 280,000 km and had a history of serious damage, rated D, a warning level indicating it should not be bought or sold.
Another Guazi employee admitted that although the Tesla’s battery life was almost zero, this factor was not part of the platform’s pre-sale inspection criteria. However, the company quickly resolved the matter and refunded the customer.
The “ox-pulled Tesla” incident not only reflects a unique form of protest but also raises many questions about the responsibility of used car trading platforms and the rights of consumers when buying used electric vehicles. Many netizens expressed sympathy with the owner and questioned Guazi’s car quality inspection process, especially for electric vehicles, a type of vehicle with different construction and potential problems compared to traditional gasoline cars. The “ox-pulled Tesla” story will likely be remembered for a long time, as a warning to both consumers and businesses in the rapidly growing electric vehicle market.
