MG ZS EV: Unanswered Questions Surround British Man's Alleged Kidnapping

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【Summary】A British man claims his MG ZS EV "kidnapped" him when it got stuck at 30 mph and he couldn't stop it. The brakes appeared to not be working, and he called the police for help. They tried various methods to stop the car, including crashing it into their van. Three hours later, a roadside assistance vehicle found numerous faults in the car. The cause of the incident is still under investigation, and it's unclear if it was a malfunction or user error.

FutureCar Staff Oct 08, 2023 4:19 PM PT

MG ZS EV: Unanswered Questions Surround British Man's Alleged Kidnapping

A strange incident occurred in the UK over the weekend involving a man and his electric vehicle. Brian Morrison, a 53-year-old from Glasgow, claimed that his MG ZS EV "kidnapped" him while he was driving home from work on a Sunday night.

According to the BBC, the vehicle was stuck at a speed of 30 miles per hour, and Morrison had mobility issues that prevented him from jumping out of the EV. While he could steer the vehicle, he couldn't bring it to a stop.

Morrison reported hearing grinding noises from the brake pads, suggesting that the brakes were not functioning properly. In a state of panic, he called his wife and asked her to alert the vehicles in front of him, which seems illogical and inexplicable.

After calling the emergency line, three police vehicles arrived at the scene. They instructed Morrison to throw the key fob out of the vehicle and long press the power button to switch off the traction motor, but these attempts proved unsuccessful.

Most modern cars are equipped with power immobilization systems, and the police were likely attempting to immobilize the vehicle. However, their efforts were in vain. Eventually, the police resorted to having the EV crash into the back of their van, bringing it to a halt.

The story takes another strange turn when Morrison mentions that a police officer entered his car and did something to keep it still. The report does not clarify what this "something" was.

Furthermore, there is conflicting information in the report. While it states that the police managed to keep the ZS EV stationary, it also mentions that they couldn't move their van because the EV would continue moving if they did.

Three hours later, a roadside assistance vehicle arrived and conducted a diagnostic check on the EV. It found numerous faults, prompting MG Motor UK to state that their engineering team would fully inspect the vehicle and resolve the issues promptly.

The user manual for the ZS EV states that in the event of brake failure, the emergency braking function can be initiated using the electronic parking brake (EPB). It remains unclear whether Morrison was aware of this function.

If the EPB fails to activate, the vehicle will enable the parking function of the electric drive transmission, according to the manual. While it's possible that the vehicle experienced a malfunction or brake failure, user error cannot be ruled out. In a similar incident in China, a Tesla driver caused an accident by pressing the wrong pedal.

With limited information available, we will have to wait for the investigation results to determine what exactly went wrong in this case. The claim of being "kidnapped" seems exaggerated, considering that the police officer was able to bring the vehicle under control immediately. What do you think might have caused this incident? Share your thoughts in the comments.