Image: XPeng G6 — official image
Eleven EVs stuck at Timure customs after flash flood
Eleven electric vehicles brought into Nepal for sale have been lying damaged and unused at Timure customs in Rasuwa for about a year, after a major flood hit the Nepal–China trade route.
According to customs officials, the vehicles were buried and badly damaged in the flash flood that struck the area in mid‑July 2025, when the Bhote Koshi and nearby streams overflowed and destroyed parts of the Rasuwagadhi corridor.
High‑value XPeng G6 units among damaged stock
Customs records show the stranded lot includes 10 units of XPeng G6 electric SUVs with an assessed value of around Rs 8 crore 50 lakh, plus one electric van worth about Rs 37 lakh. Together, the total declared value is approximately Rs 8 crore 86 lakh 90 thousand.
These vehicles were imported by CG Motors for the Nepali market. The XPeng G6, a mid‑size Chinese electric SUV, is positioned globally as a long‑range EV, but the flood damage has reportedly made these specific vehicles unfit for normal retail sale.
Why the vehicles are still not cleared
Customs officials say the importer has not paid the required customs duty, which is estimated at about 40% of the declared value (around Rs 3 crore 39 lakh). Without this payment, the vehicles cannot be formally cleared into the market or processed for disposal.
The damaged EVs have been kept "as‑is" at the customs yard so the importer can use them as evidence for an insurance claim. However, officials say the company has not submitted an official letter to the government stating the loss due to the natural disaster, nor has it given customs the authority to auction the vehicles.
Under existing rules, customs can move ahead with mechanical valuation and auction of damaged goods only after receiving a written request from the importer. In this case, that process has not started, leaving the vehicles stuck in a legal and administrative limbo.
Large overall loss in Timure flood
The same flood event caused damage to vehicles and goods at Timure worth more than Rs 70 crore 51 lakh 69 thousand, according to the customs office. The stranded XPeng G6 units are part of that wider loss.
What this means for Nepali EV buyers
For Nepali customers, the immediate impact is limited, because these specific vehicles are unlikely to reach showrooms in usable condition.
However, the case raises important points:
- EV imports are highly exposed to disaster risk along border routes.
- When importers do not quickly coordinate duty payment, insurance, and auction procedures, damaged vehicles can sit idle for months.
- Buyers may face delays in new EV models arriving and potential price impacts if such losses are not properly managed.
For now, the 10 XPeng G6 SUVs and one electric van at Timure remain a reminder that Nepal’s EV expansion also needs clearer systems for handling disaster‑related losses and customs procedures.
Reported by the Nepal AutoMart news desk. Prices verified against Nepal AutoMart's own distributor-sourced data.
