Burnt-Out Electric Car Ends Up in the Junkyard — But Workers Find Something Totally Unexpected
What is usually routine at a scrapyard turned out very differently this time. When a burned Kia e-Niro was brought to the Spanish dismantler MotoCoche, technicians stumbled upon something no one expected.
Electric cars showing up at scrapyards has become an everyday sight. Teslas, BYDs, and MGs are increasingly finding their way to dismantling yards—some after collisions, others simply reaching the end of their life cycles. But when a charred Kia e-Niro rolled into MotoCoche, a Spanish scrapyard along the A-92G, routine quickly turned into intrigue. Something about this burned-out vehicle didn’t add up—and what the team discovered next proved unforgettable.
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The SUV arrived with a heavily damaged rear and a partially charred side — the result of a fire following vandalism. During the technical inspection, however, the team got a surprise: despite the visible damage, the car started up without any issues and could still drive.
The explanation lay in the battery. The 64.8-kWh pack, mounted in the floor, remained intact. While the rear end had burned almost down to the bare chassis, the high-voltage system was still functioning perfectly. It was proof that EVs don’t necessarily succumb to fire easily — though this particular one was, of course, destined for dismantling.
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With only 6,000 kilometers on the odometer, the front of the e-Niro still looked nearly new, but its fate was sealed: it would stay in the scrapyard to serve as a source for spare parts.
Where dismantlers once mainly dealt with engines, exhaust systems, and gearboxes, they now also face high-voltage batteries, software, and electronic modules. The incident with the burned Kia shows how much the field has changed — and that electric cars can sometimes prove surprisingly resilient, even after a fire.