This quiet revolution in vehicle customization represents a fundamental shift in China’s automotive landscape, where personalization has evolved from an underground hobby to a legitimate industry projected to reach RMB 160 billion (USD 22.3 billion) by 2025, according to the 2023 China Automotive Customization and Modification Industry White Paper.
This isn’t the first time an EV’s “smart” systems turned deadly after a collision, but the SU7’s disastrous safety flaws — just weeks after its launch — have reignited a furious debate: Can we trust “disruptor” brands with lives?
The irony? A regulation meant to protect workers might first shrink their job opportunities. The next 12 months will reveal whether the sector can strike a balance—or whether a generation of independent workshops will vanish, taking their workers’ livelihoods with them.