Nepal’s electric vehicle (EV) market is booming. Brands like BYD are gaining attention among environmentally conscious and tech-savvy buyers. But with this growth comes confusion—and sometimes comedy—especially when it comes to motor power ratings and customs evaluations.

So, before we start talking about “motor power,” let’s clear up a few important things. Because in an EV, motor power is not just about the motor itself. Let’s break it all down in simple Nepali-English that everyone can understand.

Basic Components of an EV Drivetrain

1. High Voltage Battery

This is the main battery that powers the car after startup. It’s different from the 12V battery that handles low-voltage systems (like in petrol vehicles). This high-voltage battery (usually around 400V in many EVs) is made of multiple lithium-ion cells.

2. Battery Management System (BMS)

The BMS protects the battery from overcharging, overheating, or excessive current. It also keeps a log of battery health and condition and ensures optimal performance by controlling how much power the battery should send or receive. The firmware on the BMS is locked and written by the manufacturer—meaning it cannot be bypassed or tampered with.

3. Vehicle Control Module (VCM)

Think of this as the brain of the EV. It connects to everything: the pedals, sensors, motor, inverter, etc. It decides:

• How throttle and brake inputs are interpreted

• When and how regenerative braking works

• How power is distributed in different driving modes (Eco, Sport, etc.)

It also contains its own firmware and memory.

4. Drive Motor

People often assume a motor is just “apply current and it spins.” But the motor in an EV is not a toy. Most EVs use either Induction Motors or Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM). The BYD ATTO 3 uses a PMSM.

These motors require three-phase AC. But the battery provides DC. So you need a controller + inverter to operate it.

5. Inverter

This is the box that converts DC from the battery into variable three-phase AC that controls motor torque and speed. It uses IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors) modules, designed for specific power requirements. Even if the same motor is used across models, different IGBT configurations mean different power outputs.

Why You Can’t Just Test the Motor Alone

Some local garages and so-called “experts” try to pull out the motor, apply current, and “measure” its power. That’s nonsense. The motor power of an EV depends on the entire system: the battery, BMS, VCM, inverter, firmware, and more.

Why Do Manufacturers Use the Same Components in Different Models?

Simple answer: cost-efficiency.

It’s impractical and expensive to design unique motors for each model. Instead, manufacturers create a common base platform and use the same motor/inverter/battery across various models. The difference lies in the software configuration, drive modes, and power limits.

Example:

• Tesla Model 3 Standard: 170kW

• Tesla Model Y: 210kW

• But both use the same drive unit

Examples Relevant to Nepal

These are not just global practices—they apply to EVs already on Nepal’s roads:

• Nissan Leaf:

  • 2010–2012 (ZE0) and 2012–2017 (AZE0): 80kW

  • 2017–2025 (ZE1): 110kW

  • 2019–2025 (ZE1 e+): 160kW
    → All use the same EM57 motor

• Mercedes B250e:

  • Built on a Tesla Model S drive unit

  • B250e: 132kW vs. Model S: 285kW

• Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Minicab EV Van:

  • Same drivetrain, same motor, different rated power.

These cars are all available in Nepal’s reconditioned EV market today.

Does This Only Affect EVs?

Nope. In Nepal, excise duties on vehicles are based on:

• Motor power (for EVs)

• Engine displacement (for petrol/diesel vehicles)

So just like ICE vehicles with the same engine being sold as Standard or Sport variants based on ECU tuning, EVs can have the same hardware but different power ratings based on firmware.

Can You Upgrade a 100kW BYD ATTO 3 to 150kW?

Technically? Not really.

The firmware that defines motor power is stored in encrypted memory, is closed-source, and is only updatable by BYD. You can’t plug in a USB and “unlock” more power. Even if the motor and inverter could handle it, the firmware won't allow it—and tampering voids the warranty and risks damage.

It’s not worth ruining a car worth Rs. 60–70 lakhs just to chase an imaginary performance boost.

What Does Nepal Customs Say?

BYD manufactures two versions of the ATTO 3:

• Category A – 100kW (sold in Nepal and Singapore)

• Category B – 150kW

Reviews confirm that the 100kW version does 0–100 km/h in 10.5s, while the 150kW one takes 7.3s. So there’s a genuine performance difference.

Nepal’s customs department uses motor power for taxation. But in some cases, confusion arises when officers don’t fully understand how power ratings are determined (e.g., through internationally accepted standards like UNECE R85 based on 30-minute load tests).

Let’s hope this doesn’t lead to unnecessary disputes, especially with directly imported and officially rated vehicles from trusted manufacturers.

Final Thoughts

In a country where reconditioned cars have been taxed for years with no questions asked about power ratings or engine authenticity, it's ironic that directly imported EVs with certified specs are now facing challenges.

Nepal’s EV industry is finally gaining momentum. Let’s not sabotage it with outdated thinking and uninformed decisions.

Let’s move forward—efficiently, cleanly, and smartly.