NIO and Zeekr Recall Over 280,000 EVs on Same Day as Stricter Oversight Drives Industry Standards

On February 9, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) issued a recall notice: NIO is recalling 246,200 units of its ES8, ES6, and EC6 models produced between March 2018 and January 2023 due to a software issue that may cause temporary blackouts of the instrument cluster and central infotainment screen, potentially affecting driving safety. The fix will be delivered via an over-the-air (OTA) software update free of charge. Separately, Zeekr is recalling 38,300 units of certain 001 WE variants manufactured between July 2021 and March 2024 because abnormally increased battery internal resistance poses a safety hazard; affected vehicles will receive a free replacement of the entire battery pack. NIO’s recall falls under regulatory intervention, reflecting heightened scrutiny by authorities over OTA updates and lifecycle management of older vehicle models. Zeekr’s recall stems from its commitment to fulfill obligations following a settlement with its battery supplier. Together, these two recalls affect more than 280,000 vehicles, highlighting how automakers are shifting from reactive responses to proactive accountability amid tightening regulations, thereby advancing standardized quality governance across the industry.