5.000 Yuan verdient und auf Bewährung verurteilt: Ist das Reparieren von Elektromobilen jetzt ein gefährliches Berufsfeld?

There is an owner of a car repair shop in Shanghai named Mr. Li. He has good skills and can repair almost all electric models on the market. However, now he only accepts repair work on Tesla vehicles.

The reason is simple: He is afraid of being sued in court for repairing other brands.

In August 2024, the Liu brothers from Guangzhou were reported by the car brand for breaking the data of the battery management system (BMS) of an electric model with a tool and unlocking it for the vehicle owners. They were finally sentenced to probation for the "crime of disrupting computer information systems." The two had made a total of 5,000 yuan in illegal profits.

In 2025, the car repair blogger "Long Ge repairs Tesla" was jointly sued by three electric car brands because he had repaired vehicles of three brands and posted the repairs in videos on the Internet.

This is not an isolated case. By the end of 2025, the number of electric vehicles in China was 43.97 million. However, the number of specialized repair shops with professional repair capabilities was less than 30,000.

This is not a technical problem, but a fight over the property rights of who actually owns the car you bought.

Why has car repair become a high - risk profession?

First of all, the "Three Electric Components": The battery, the motor, and the electronics of an electric vehicle are the three most expensive components of the vehicle and at the same time the three components that independent repair shops cannot work on at all.

This is not because the technology is too difficult. Car brands have taken two ways to prevent these repairs.

The first way is the technical lock. The battery management system, the thermal management algorithms, and the high - voltage protection logic of electric vehicles are closely intertwined in software and hardware and encrypted by the car brands. Without the special diagnostic equipment and software permissions of the manufacturers, one cannot even read the error messages of the vehicle. Du Wei (name changed), the owner of a Shanghai repair shop of an auto aftermarket platform, told First Financial: "For many electric car brands, after the repair, the vehicles need to be calibrated with a special test system for the vehicle data. This means that the manufacturers have technically monopolized the repairs in the aftermarket."

The second way is the legal threat. If one tries to break the encryption, the car brand will threaten to sue. Lawyers have pointed out that the applicability of the "crime of disrupting computer information systems" in electric vehicle repair is controversial. The repair is essentially the restoration of functions, not the disruption of the system. However, until the legal interpretation is clarified, the whole industry has chosen the safest solution - avoiding repairs.

There is also a more hidden "soft binding". According to Sina Auto, some brands have stipulated that vehicles repaired outside the authorized repair stations will no longer have a lifetime warranty. Even if the vehicle is already out of the warranty period, vehicle owners are not likely to go to independent repair shops easily. A vehicle owner of an XPeng vehicle said: "All the money I save on charging goes into the repair costs."

Why don't car brands want to open up repairs?

The answer lies in the profit structure.

According to a survey by the China Automobile Dealers Association on the survival situation of car dealers in 2025, the proportion of after - sales profit of electric vehicle dealers was 37.1%, far higher than the 26.5% from new car sales. In a time when new car sales are in price competition and the profits are minimal or even negative, the after - sales is the real "cash cow".

In a recent article by Sina Finance, it was stated that the deeper reason why car brands don't want to open up the after - sales is the fight for digital sovereignty in the era of the "software - defined car". The driving data, the battery status, and the driving habits of users are all stored on the cloud servers of the car brands. Opening up the repair technology would give third - parties access to this data ecosystem. Yuan Shuai, the deputy secretary - general of the Zhongguancun Internet of Things Industrial Alliance, said: "In the context of the software - defined car, core intelligent activities such as the battery management strategy, the thermal management algorithms, and the high - voltage protection logic are closely linked to the physical components, which indeed represents a technical barrier."

This is very similar to the fight over the "right to repair" in the mobile phone industry. Apple and Samsung have also restricted third - party repairs for reasons of security and intellectual property. However, after legislation in the US and the EU, the "right to repair" is increasingly becoming a fundamental right of consumers.

What has the new regulation opened up?

On April 1, 2026, the "Interim Administrative Measures for the Recycling and Comprehensive Utilization of Spent Batteries of Electric Vehicles" (hereinafter referred to as the "Interim Measures") came into effect.

This document was not specifically developed to break the repair monopoly. Its main goal is the management of the entire battery life cycle. However, the effects of two provisions could be more far - reaching than originally planned.

Article 11 requires that battery manufacturers must provide vehicle repair operators with battery codes and the necessary disassembly techniques.

The second paragraph of Article 13 requires that electric vehicle manufacturers must publish repair technical information in a timely and effective manner in accordance with state regulations.

Wang Qi (name changed), an expert involved in the formulation of the measures, told a reporter from First Financial that the new regulation had made "detailed regulations" for the publication of repair technical information. It clearly requires that the battery disassembly information be submitted to the state platform and that authorized repair operators be given access to this information. "There is hope that the monopoly of 4S shops in battery repair can be broken."

Violations will be punished with a maximum fine of 50,000 yuan. This "submission and inquiry mechanism" provides for the first time the legal basis for third - parties to obtain access to core technical documents.

Is the opening - up sufficient?

To be honest, the deterrent effect of the new regulation is limited. A maximum fine of 50,000 yuan is not a significant problem for an electric car brand with an annual income of billions and an after - sales profit of more than one - third.

If we look at the history of the global car repair market, Massachusetts in the US was the first to legislate in the 1990s to force car companies to open up repair diagnostic information; in 2002, the EU adopted the "Rules for Competition in the Car Repair Industry" to break the monopoly of the brand - based sales system; in 2023, the European Court of Justice ruled that car brands may not restrict access to repair data under the pretext of network security. This race took thirty years worldwide until the institutions matured.

The new Chinese regulation is only the first step on this path.

What does this mean for you?

[Vehicle owners who already own an electric vehicle] You will benefit most directly. If your vehicle breaks down, authorized independent repair shops can theoretically inquire about the battery disassembly techniques from April 1. You have more choices. However, there is a difference between "theoretically" and "practically". The key lies in the implementation. Until then: Ask before an insurance claim whether the warranty will be affected. After the warranty period expires, you can compare different providers.

[People who want to buy an electric vehicle] This change is a positive signal. The loosening of the after - sales monopoly means that the long - term costs may decrease. You no longer have to be tied to a 4S shop all the time. However, it is still too early to make a decision. It is recommended to observe the implementation of the new regulation before making a decision.

[Traditional car repairers and repair shops] This is a good opportunity to prepare for electric vehicle repair. The political direction is clear, and the access barriers for switching to electric vehicle repair are starting to decrease. However, working on high - voltage systems requires professional certification, and technical investment cannot be spared. At an industry conference in Ningbo in March 2026, the standards for the training of repair professionals were already discussed. This can be observed.

A structural change is taking place: The structure of the electric vehicle repair market is changing from a "closed after - sales system" to an "open competitive structure". This process will be long - drawn - out, but the direction is set.

When the choices of 44 million vehicle owners start to increase, next, the entire billion - dollar auto aftermarket will be reshaped.

This article is from the WeChat account "BT Finance" and was published by 36Kr with permission.