Electric scooter fire incidents in India: Addressing the burning issues
A clutch of electric scooters that caught fire in the recent days have put the spotlight on automakers and sparked safety concerns among customers as well as the government. Vehicles catching fire isn't something out of the normal but the frequency of e-scooter fire incidents in India is rather alarming. Here, we understand the issues surrounding EV fires and what can be done.
There have been six reported cased of EV fires recently
In the last two weeks, there have been at least six reported cases of EVs ablaze. Electric scooters made by Ola, Okinawa, Pure EV, and Jitendra EV have all gone up in flames. In one of the unfortunate cases, a father and daughter in Vellore were suffocated to death inside their house by the smoke from an EV on fire.
Batteries catch fire due to thermal, mechanical, and electric abuse
According to experts, the primary cause of fire in an electric vehicle is related to its battery. If the battery is poorly designed and not state-of-the-art, it can catch fire due to extreme temperature variation, an electrical short circuit, or any manufacturing defect. In case of a short circuit, the temperature within the battery reaches up to 500 degrees Celsius, causing an explosion.
Okinawa has recalled 3,215 units of Praise Pro e-scooter
Incidents of EVs on fire have put the automakers under the magnifying lens of public scrutiny. This has forced them to take actions of their own to address the issues and put the public's minds at ease. Ola Electric and Jitendra EV have begun their in-house investigation into the causes of the fire. Okinawa, on the other hand, has recalled the Praise Pro e-scooter.
What is the government doing?
The growing cases of EV fires have sprung the government into action. The government has appointed a team of experts that will probe each and every incident and review the entire EV ecosystem. The team will then submit its report to the government after which we can expect guidelines related to the testing standards, manufacturing, storage as well as transportation of electric vehicles.
What steps can be taken to minimize risks?
Once an EV catches fire, it is hard to get it under control. However, there are certain measures we can implement to mitigate that. Manufacturers can incorporate methods such as the use of thermally inert materials for surface coating of electrodes and well-optimized Battery Thermal Management System. Customers can make sure that the battery is never fully discharged or overcharged, especially at elevated temperatures.
Regular preventive recalls should be the norm to avert concerns
The Indian government has been supportive of the EV industry from the very beginning. Incidents of EV fire have now put the ball back in the government's court to put into place a comprehensive policy with safety as the top priority. As the industry is still in a nascent stage, automakers should conduct regular preventive recalls to check the status of the vehicle.
Is it time to press the panic button yet?
We must not forget the days of mobile batteries catching fire. We should also remember the time when Tesla cars used to go up in flames. Therefore, it is not yet time to press the panic button on India's two-wheeler EV segment. These incidents of fire are unfortunate and all the involved stakeholders—automakers, customers, and policy makers—should use the lessons for a better future.
