赔钱又道歉！ 智己联席CEO刘涛“喷”特斯拉惹官司，营销屡屡翻车拖累销量？

Core Viewpoint - The recent apology from Liu Tao, co-CEO of Zhiji Auto, to Tesla highlights ongoing marketing controversies and declining sales performance for the company, which has failed to meet its sales targets for three consecutive years [2][14]. Group 1: Apology and Legal Issues - Liu Tao publicly apologized to Tesla for inappropriate comments made on social media regarding a traffic accident involving a Tesla vehicle, resulting in a court-ordered compensation of 50,000 RMB [4][19]. - The incident that prompted the apology occurred in November 2022, when a Tesla Model Y was involved in a fatal accident, and Liu Tao's comments were deemed defamatory [5][18]. - Following the legal proceedings, Liu Tao's initial statements were found to be unfounded, leading to a court ruling against him [6][18]. Group 2: Sales Performance - Zhiji Auto's sales figures have shown a significant decline, with January 2025 sales dropping to 5,017 units, a 57% decrease from December 2024 [7][20]. - The company has consistently failed to meet its annual sales targets: 2023 target was 45,000 units with actual sales of 38,253 (85% completion), 2024 target was 120,000-130,000 with actual sales of 65,505 (55% completion), and 2025 target was 100,000 with actual sales of 81,017 (81% completion) [8][21]. - Sales growth rates have also slowed, with 2023 showing a 665% increase, 2024 at 71%, and 2025 projected at 24% [21]. Group 3: Marketing Controversies - Liu Tao has faced multiple marketing blunders since May 2022, leading to at least four public apologies, which have negatively impacted the brand's image [10][24]. - Notable incidents include inappropriate driving behavior during a promotional event, a controversial live-streamed cooking session in a vehicle, and miscommunication regarding product specifications [10][11][23]. - The cumulative effect of these marketing missteps has contributed to a perception of the brand as unreliable, further complicating its sales challenges [12][24].