New-Generation Online Trolls Fabricate Defamatory Articles to Smear Automakers

[Market Chaos] A new type of AI-powered troll group has been uncovered, specifically amplifying negative narratives about new energy vehicle (NEV) companies to generate web traffic.

Core Development: Mass AI-Generated 'Smear Campaigns' Manipulate Public Opinion

Since July 2025, companies including Li Auto, Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), and Xiaomi Corporation have filed police reports, stating that a surge of fact-distorting negative articles appeared on a certain platform—examples include “Lei Jun is really in deep trouble this time” and “Li Auto’s monthly sales failed to reach four digits.” Police in Yantai, Shandong Province have dismantled two such groups and shut down over 8,000 accounts.

Key Data: Monthly Orders Plummet by 5,000 Units; Market Cap Drops by $28 Billion

Due to the spread of false information, Li Auto saw its August 2025 orders drop sharply by more than 5,000 units, with its total market capitalization shrinking by approximately RMB 20 billion (roughly USD 2.8 billion). Shanghai police noted that these trolls often deliberately omit critical accident details, portraying collision-induced fires as “spontaneous combustion during normal driving,” thereby misleading the public.

Strategic Foundation: No Extortion, No Paid Deletions—Pure Algorithmic Traffic Monetization

Unlike traditional troll operations that relied on paid post deletions or extortion, these new-generation trolls exploit platform algorithms’ preference for trending content. They use AI to identify hot topics and fabricate viral posts, mass-publishing synchronized content across platforms to earn ad revenue and traffic-based income.