A GAC Aion Y electric car caught fire while being driven in Basant Chowk, Bharatpur Metropolitan City-9, Chitwan, on Friday morning, leaving one person dead inside the vehicle. The car was travelling west along the service lane of the East-West Highway when the incident occurred.
In Nepal, the GAC Aion Y is listed at an ex-showroom price of Rs 58.50 lakh. It sits just below the GAC Aion V, priced between Rs 64.99 lakh and Rs 69.99 lakh, giving buyers a reference point in GAC’s EV lineup.
Police said the fire was brought under control with the help of a fire engine. The person inside the car was found dead, and their identity has not yet been confirmed. The vehicle suffered heavy damage.
Investigators have not yet established how the EV caught fire while it was being driven. District Police Office, Chitwan, has started a formal inquiry into the cause, and no mechanical or electrical explanation has been shared so far.
For current and prospective EV owners, this case will be closely watched, as any official finding on the cause of the fire could influence safety checks and future EV buying decisions.
Writes on vehicle pricing, taxation and the Nepali auto market from ongoing tracking of distributor price lists. Every price in this piece is read live from the Nepal AutoMart catalog — how we verify prices.
