Jakarta. A BYD Seal electric vehicle allegedly caught fire while parked in its owner’s garage on Jalan Katalis, North Palmerah, West Jakarta, on Tuesday. Authorities suspect the fire originated from the car's battery.

The incident has raised concerns about the safety of electric vehicles. Syarifudin, Head of Operations at the West Jakarta Fire and Rescue Department, said the car had been parked for three days before suddenly emitting smoke. “It is suspected to be due to an electrical issue with the electric car's battery,” Syarifudin explained, according to Antara.

The owner reported hearing an explosion before calling the fire department. In response, six fire trucks and 30 personnel were dispatched to the scene, quickly containing the situation. Fortunately, no injuries or damage to nearby buildings were reported.

Luther Panjaitan, Head of PR and Government Relations at BYD Motor Indonesia, clarified that the incident was not a fire but rather smoke. He dismissed circulating photos of the incident showing flames, explaining they were likely caused by the red reflection of car lights on the smoke. "What happened was smoke, not fire," said Panjaitan.

He added that BYD's aftersales team is currently investigating the cause of the incident.

The BYD Seal involved in the incident is an electric sedan measuring 4,800 mm in length, with a range of up to 650 kilometers on a full charge. It is powered by a 313-horsepower electric motor with 360 Nm of torque, rear-wheel drive, and a BYD Blade Battery with a capacity of 82.56 kWh.

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