Tata Nexon EV Catches Fire In Dealer Yard: Owner Paying EMI Without Car For 8 Months [Video]
EV fires are not entirely unheard-of. We have seen electric vehicles (EVs) catching fire after crashing or being involved in high-impact accidents. But have you imagined an EV being charred when parked in the dealer's yard for repairs? Well, details of such an incident have now surfaced.
This story stems from a video shared on the channel Baiju N Nair. This content creator often exposes cases where owners are denied justice regarding faulty vehicles or have their grievances unaddressed. Pramod, the owner of the Tata Nexon EV that caught fire in the dealer yard, was one of the early adopters and bought the vehicle in 2020. He hails from Thiruvananthapuram and took delivery of the vehicle from Trivandrum Motors, a dealer in the region.
In 2024, this Nexon EV was involved in an incident in Kochi, Kerala. During heavy rain, the electric SUV fell into a drainage ditch beside the highway. The driver was unaware of the large pothole concealed by a layer of rainwater. The incident occurred at night, which exacerbated the situation. "The pothole was so deep that water soon seeped into the cabin," says Pramod.
It is to be noted that the pothole in question isn't a regular sewage drain but something dug with an earth-mover as part of ongoing construction in the area. The contractors could, in a way, be blamed for the EV's misfortune, as they had not put up any warning boards or signage indicating the pothole.
As soon as water seeped inside, the horn went off. Sensing danger, the owner unplugged all the fuses he could identify before exiting the vehicle. The vehicle seemed to be 'dead'. He contacted the nearest Tata dealer—Luxon Tata. Later that night, the Nexon EV was moved to the dealership on a flatbed. After inspecting the vehicle, the owner was informed that water ingress into the battery pack should have rendered it undrivable but that it could be repaired. This happened on a Saturday.
On Monday, Pramod received another call stating that his Nexon EV was charred and the cause of the fire was unknown! He was sent photos and videos of the car burning down in the dealer's yard. Clearly, it was no fault of his. The owner was later informed that slush entering the battery could have caused the fire. (Tata Motors claims IP67 rating for its LFP batteries.)
What Happened Next?
Honestly, nothing! In their immediate response, the dealer offered to give him another Tata car or SUV of his choice "—completely free," the owner stated. The dealer even told him that he could choose the bigger SUVs- Harrier or Safari and take it home by paying just Rs 80,000. The deal seemed too sweet to be true. It was!
The dealer bought time and later began to backtrack on their claims and promises. Pramod stated that after making him wait for over four months, the dealer changed their stance, asking him to file an insurance claim and offering a new Nexon EV for its Insured Declared Value (IDV). For anything higher—for instance, the Harrier—he would have to pay the remaining amount.
While some might consider this fair, the inconvenience and pain caused to the owner are not being compensated for! It has been over 8 months since the car burnt down, and unfortunately, there has been no favourable action from Tata Motors or the dealer, Luxon Tata, in this case.
The Nexon EV in question was insured by United India Insurance. For some reason, the company hasn't cleared the 'total loss' claims yet. The owner reports that there has been no clear communication from the company regarding the claim amount. It's possible that the claim amount might be minimized due to the vehicle being an EV. Despite all this, this ex-Nexon EV owner continues to pay his car EMI, which amounts to around Rs 28,000. This means he has paid around 2 lakh rupees for a car that no longer exists, in the past few months!