Tesla is suing customers and journalists to stifle negative reviews, and it’s achieving success, according to a report from Carscoops.

      An investigation has shown that Tesla has successfully pursued legal action against six customers, six bloggers, and two journalists due to unfavorable remarks.

      Tesla is taking stringent measures to defend its image in China by suing disgruntled customers.

      According to the AP, the company has won 11 cases against owners and journalists.

      Chinese journalists informed the AP that they were advised not to publish negative reviews.

      Tesla and its vehicles frequently make headlines, but in an effort to ensure that coverage remains positive, the automaker is resorting to lawsuits against those expressing negative sentiments, including its own customers, as uncovered by an Associated Press investigation.

      The AP's findings revealed that Tesla had initiated legal proceedings against at least six owners in China who raised concerns about quality issues or claimed that mechanical failures led to accidents.

      Additionally, the news agency's reporters found that Tesla had filed lawsuits against at least six bloggers and two Chinese media organizations that made critical statements about the brand. Tesla's winning streak is notable; in the 11 cases where the outcome was confirmed, Tesla emerged victorious each time. One case was settled out of court, and two are currently under appeal.

      Moreover, Tesla has succeeded in a majority of the 81 cases initiated by owners, with only nine of those lawsuits being won by customers, a statistic described by an industry expert to the AP as remarkably favorable—similar to "going to the casino and winning every hand," considering Tesla is a wholly foreign-owned entity.

      For instance, a Model 3 owner named Zhang Yazhou believed a 2021 accident that resulted in her parents being hospitalized was due to a brake failure in her electric vehicle. She protested publicly by sitting on her damaged sedan with a loudhailer, but Tesla responded by suing her for defamation and achieved a win. Zhang was ordered to pay approximately $23,000 and issue an apology, but she has declined to do so.

      “As a consumer, even if I said something wrong, I have the right to comment and criticize,” Zhang told the AP. “I expressed my feelings as a car user. It is unrelated to harming their reputation.”

      Another victim in this wave of lawsuits is blogger Feng Shiming, who was compelled by a court to pay Tesla $34,000 after reporting on alleged brake issues with his Chinese-spec Model S.

      Although customers like Zhang are willing to voice their grievances, the same cannot be said for journalists, according to the report. Tesla has filed lawsuits against several journalists for their remarks, and two media representatives shared with the AP, on condition of anonymity, that they were told not to write negative content about Tesla and its products because the company is a prominent entity backed by the Shanghai government.

      We reached out to Tesla for a comment regarding the AP's investigation but have not yet received a response.