A BYD Atto 3 electric vehicle caught fire in Pathari, Morang. The vehicle was serving as a wedding ceremony car. This incident occurred on May 7, 2026. First, the driver parked the vehicle in a roadside forested area. Then, the driver briefly left the car to use a washroom.
Upon returning, the driver noticed white smoke coming from the dashboard area. He immediately attempted to disconnect the low-voltage power system to prevent further escalation. However, the situation worsened very quickly. Dry leaves and dense forest vegetation surrounded the vehicle. Consequently, these dry materials helped the fire spread fast. During the incident, the vehicle’s airbags suddenly deployed. Eventually, the flames completely engulfed the electric car. The local fire brigade arrived later and finally brought the fire under control. Fortunately, no one sustained injuries during the incident.
Investigating the External Causes
Initially, online criticism from local Nepali media claimed the fire started from the EV battery pack. However, physical evidence points to external factors near the rear-left section of the vehicle.
For instance, people heavily decorated the car with flammable plastic materials for the wedding. Furthermore, investigators found partially burned ritual items, like a coconut, inside the trunk. Therefore, authorities are checking if an external heat source started the blaze. A discarded cigarette might have ignited the dry leaves or the wedding decorations. Additionally, engineers explained that the cabin smoke did not come from an internal fault. Instead, the ventilation system drew external smoke into the cabin through the AC vents. This process created a false impression of an internal dashboard fire.
BYD Denies Battery Fault
In a brief official statement, Cimex Inc., the authorized distributor of BYD in Nepal, denied that the EV’s battery or powertrain caused the fire. The company shared a detailed corporate response covering the complete incident and key findings from the technical inspection.
Following the joint technical inspection with engineers from BYD headquarters, the company reported that the 8-in-1 electric powertrain system remained entirely intact. More importantly, the high-voltage Blade Battery pack showed absolutely no signs of internal short-circuits or thermal runaway. Nevertheless, media reports note that BYD conducted this inspection internally. Consequently, an independent safety authority must still conduct a neutral inspection to deliver a fully credible verdict.
