Electric vehicles (EVs) have become a growing trend in the automotive industry, with many Malaysians increasingly embracing the shift to cleaner mobility. However, recent posts on social media involving brands like BYD and Audi have sparked public concern about EV reliability and safety.
On 1 May 2025, a BYD Atto 3 owner reported a troubling incident while driving along the Kajang-Cheras Highway. Without any prior warning, the vehicle abruptly activated its emergency braking system in the fast lane. The only notification on the dashboard read: “Power System Failure.”
The owner, who was travelling from Melaka to Penang and had stopped in Kajang, noted that several cars swerved dangerously to avoid a collision with the stalled Atto 3. Attempts to restart the vehicle were unsuccessful.
The vehicle was eventually towed to the BYD service centre in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, around 7 pm, with the assistance of the highway patrol and insurance towing services. However, even the towing process proved challenging—despite being in neutral and mounted on wheel dollies, the Atto 3’s wheels remained locked.
Technicians later discovered that the 12V battery needed replacing before they could proceed with diagnostics. This came as a shock to the owner, as the car was only 10 months old.
Following the viral post, BYD Malaysia issued an official response: “We are aware of the recent incident and take it very seriously. The safety of our customers is our highest priority. We are conducting a thorough investigation and are in close contact with the affected customer.”
A similar concern came from an Audi e-tron GT owner, who recently broke his silence after experiencing multiple breakdowns since purchasing the vehicle last year. The most recent occurred while driving from Bukit Jalil to Melaka with his wife and two young children. The car shut down completely on the North-South Expressway. Fortunately, traffic congestion prevented a potentially dangerous situation at highway speeds.
This was the third such breakdown, he added. The first occurred in early March, when the e-tron displayed multiple errors and would not stay powered on. Despite being sent to Audi’s Glenmarie service centre, no issues were identified at the time.
The second incident happened just before Hari Raya, when the vehicle malfunctioned again. This time, a faulty converter was diagnosed and replaced, and the software was updated. The car was returned to the owner on 19 April. However, just six days later, the e-tron failed again—this time while on the highway.
The owner has since lodged a formal complaint with Audi AG in Germany, urging a deeper investigation. “EVs are the future—but safety must never be compromised,” he said.
(Source: Facebook [1], [2] /Paultan.org)
