[rkv_hunter]

I am considering buying an electric car as my next car, specifically the BYD Atto 3.

Now on one of the social media platform I saw a post that in one instance rats chewed through BYD battery pack and damaged it.

So I decided to research and found similar instances of rats chewing and damaging critical components of EV cars although not many.

One of the articles mentioned that EV battery has a warm temperature while charging overnight and may be a great attraction at that temperature for rodents to make thier nests.


Now the difference between an ICE and EV car can be that in ICE apart from ignition wires which once rat chewed in my old Polo. Other wires are really not a critical component of drivetrain. In EV some of the wires may be connecting the battery to the motor etc.

Also a running ICE vehicle gets really hot under the hood and any rat or rodent will not stay there in a running car but EV doesn’t get heated I guess. So is there a chance of rodents damaging and making nests in EV spaces within the car given how common are rodents in our country.

Some expert views on access and protection on such things will help.

https://www.thecore.in/business/rode...-motor-3782516

https://www.euronews.com/next/2022/0...ver-the-damage

[electric_eel]

Originally Posted by rkv_hunter

I am considering buying an electric car as my next car, specifically the BYD Atto 3.

Now on one of the social media platform I saw a post that in one instance rats chewed through BYD battery pack and damaged it.

Yeah this is one of the biggest concern that I have when it comes to cars in general. They are fertile places for rodents to make a den. And that makes it also an attraction for snakes. From what I gather from taxi drivers and other professional drivers, it is not an easy problem to solve and one needs to be very careful particularly if one leaves the car for too long.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by rkv_hunter

Now the difference between an ICE and EV car can be that in ICE apart from ignition wires which once rat chewed in my old Polo. Other wires are really not a critical component of drivetrain. In EV some of the wires may be connecting the battery to the motor etc.

Agree that electric cars can have more serious consequences but even in ICE, rats can affect in multiple ways. On my cars, I had instances of rats biting intake air hose, fuel line and connection going to the power steering. In all cases the car had to be taken on flatbeds. Fuel line was scary as everytime I cranked the engine, petrol was getting sprayed all over the engine bay and it took some time for me to realise.

[GTO]

Rodents can destroy your car, whether ICE or EV or Hybrid or anything. Stick to the best practices of protecting your car, and even then, remember that it is an ongoing battle with rats. What works for me = parking in a clean place (no trash or food around), AutoShine spray, VarnaSuraksha rat repellent (only in the BMW & Superb) and periodic rat poison.

Be sure to take insurance coverage for rat damage.

Rest, enjoy the drive & worry less

[Boomerang]

Keep rodents away is part of an ongoing maintenance. What's working for:

1. 3M Rodent Repellent Spray - Works well for 7-8months for only city runs. Out of town runs, 6 months
2. Get rat mesh installed in the engine and cabin bays. Works wonders even in the monsoon.
3. An obedient cat/dog that loves to your car porch

[alkaknar]

Originally Posted by Boomerang

Keep rodents away is part of an ongoing maintenance. What's working for:

1. 3M Rodent Repellent Spray - Works well for 7-8months for only city runs. Out of town runs, 6 months
2. Get rat mesh installed in the engine and cabin bays. Works wonders even in the monsoon.
3. An obedient cat/dog that loves to your car porch

The mesh doesn't always help. Especially considering how big the rodents are these days. They fatten up and become the size of a cat.

[GreenerPlanet]

Originally Posted by GTO

Be sure to take insurance coverage for rat damage.

Is there such a thing?
Which Insurers have this cover and can anyone share their claim experience?

[sumeethaldankar]

Originally Posted by GreenerPlanet

Is there such a thing?
Which Insurers have this cover and can anyone share their claim experience?

Yes insurance providers can pay for rat damage. HDFC Ergo has an option for it. My current car and my previous Civic also had it. I had also initiated claim for rat bite in the past for my Civic and it was approved as well. However the Civic being an un-common model the parts were taking too long to be delivered at the authorized service centre. I then cancelled the claim and had the car towed to a garage for a quicker and cheaper resolution. The rat had shredded my Civics' main ignition wires and HDFC was ready to pay the replacement under claim for a cost around 30 to 40k I think. The entire harness was to be replaced but my garage guy fixed it for 8k and in 3-4 days against the 45 days waiting quoted by Honda.

[Boomerang]

Originally Posted by alkaknar

The mesh doesn't always help. Especially considering how big the rodents are these days. They fatten up and become the size of a cat.

Curious to understand how it did not help. Any examples?

[tharian]

Rats or a rat chewed the noise insulation material below the A pillar on my sisters ZS EV few months ago. Immediately sprayed 3M rat repellent on all the wires and cables. Thankfully it didn't damage anything else.

It had done the same on my car was well. The thing I have noticed in all the years of rat ingress is that it is mostly one rat that makes a habit and routine to enter the same car and go to the same location under the hood every time. Best remedy to stop that is rat poison and pray they don't damage anything in the mean time. One also needs to keep checking under the hood often.

[navinmra]

Originally Posted by GTO

Rodents can destroy your car, whether ICE or EV or Hybrid or anything. Stick to the best practices of protecting your car, and even then, remember that it is an ongoing battle with rats. What works for me = parking in a clean place (no trash or food around), AutoShine spray, VarnaSuraksha rat repellent (only in the BMW & Superb) and periodic rat poison.

Be sure to take insurance coverage for rat damage.

Rest, enjoy the drive & worry less

I am paranoid of eating in the car because food can and gets dropped and becomes irresistible for rats. It makes me unpopular in the family but it is worth being a spoilsport than dealing with rodent damage after the fact.

Vacuuming the car every month also helps. At least you get to look under the seats and into crevices to see if there are tell tale signs of a potential rodent damage.

Inspecting the car for dampness helps, especially under the carpets. A damp and moldy car makes it rodent friendly.

In my previous Civic, Honda service was offering to put a rodent mesh in the boot where there is a flap that releases pressure when you shut the doors. I missed doing it and unfortunately had a rodent attack when the car was parked for a few weeks in a rodent infested parking lot. The ferocity of the attack was to be seen to be believed. They had chewed the floor mats, hand sanitizer bottle and even the gear knob! Thankfully no wires were chewed so I disposed it in 24 hours.

Long story short, do everything you can to keep rodents at bay and pray like hell

[EV Fan]

Same here. The concern was in my mind before i decided to take the plunge in an EV.
From what i understood:
1.) Parking - Clean & hygienic surroundings. Away from dense undergrowth or garbage/sewage. (Never considered active protections like cat)
2.) Insurance Covers - Now this is a labyrinth of T&C's. I had rat protection cover but the damage was written off as a wear & tear(steering wheel wrap and wires of dash cam & other misc., not a single EV wire was touched by the rat).
3.) Mesh Protection - Multiple points to cover.
AC air inlet & pressure equalizer vent(apparently it is a one way type & the folks in service center didnt do it)- Exactly same as how it is in ICE's and definitely a must.
12V battery lines + hoses - Usually these are numerous and can be a pain staking + costly affair. While these are cheap & easy to repair, they are the first to fall to rat infestation. Almost same as ICE
High Voltage Lines - Usually quite a robust cable. But if you wish to do it, then do realize this requires a technical expertise. Unlike ICE's where most of the mechanics are experienced & proficient, it is still a rarity for EV's. An experienced EV technical team + service center is a must. Else they could end up doing more damage than good. Hence also the reason why most service centers avoid it, as of now.

My vehicle sees a lot of running around in offbeat places. So this was always a concern. Unfortunately before i could do the mesh work, one of the critters got through the AC fresh air inlet and made short work of the steering wheel leather wheel & dashcam wires.
Interestingly, this happened in a hospital parking and never when the vehicle was parked in any of these rural setbacks.
The rat chewed off exactly the right side portion of steering wheel cover, which is where my hands are extensively. Apparently the oil residue from our hands and the aging leather are what had attracted it.

Originally Posted by navinmra

I am paranoid of eating in the car because food can and gets dropped and becomes irresistible for rats. It makes me unpopular in the family but it is worth being a spoilsport than dealing with rodent damage after the fact.

Absolutely true. Second that.

Originally Posted by navinmra

Vacuuming the car every month also helps. At least you get to look under the seats and into crevices to see if there are tell tale signs of a potential rodent damage.
Inspecting the car for dampness helps, especially under the carpets. A damp and moldy car makes it rodent friendly.

Second that as well. I actually do once in 2 weeks. This is done on a bright sunny day. Vacum + air it out.

Originally Posted by navinmra

In my previous Civic, Honda service was offering to put a rodent mesh in the boot where there is a flap that releases pressure when you shut the doors. I missed doing it and unfortunately had a rodent attack when the car was parked for a few weeks in a rodent infested parking lot. The ferocity of the attack was to be seen to be believed.

I tried to get it done but my Hyundai dealer said that the rear boot flap cannot be done, they only did the front air inlet.

Image for reference. Not my car