Ola recalls 1,400+ S1 Pro e-scooters amid EV fire incidents
Ola Electric has issued a recall for 1,441 units of the S1 Pro electric scooter to run pre-emptive diagnostics and health check-ups. The move comes days after a warning issued by the Indian government regarding penalties if any automaker is found negligent. Last month, an S1 Pro scooter in Pune had gone up in flames and an investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
Why does this story matter?
EVs have become extremely popular in India with almost every major automaker as well as new start-ups trying to gain from the electrification push. However, with nearly half a dozen incidents of electric scooters catching fire in the past few months, the image of Indian EV makers has taken a hit across the globe. The incidents also created concerns amongst existing and potential customers.
Will perform detailed diagnostic and health checks: Ola Electric
"As a pre-emptive measure, we will be conducting a detailed diagnostics and health check of the scooters in that specific batch and therefore are issuing a voluntary recall of 1,441 vehicles," said Ola Electric. "Our battery pack already complies with and is tested for AIS 156, the latest proposed standard for India, in addition to being compliant with the European standard ECE 136."
Recent incidents prompted recalls from other EV makers too
Ola Electric's recall of 1,441 electric scooters is to diagnose potential issues in the batch of e-scooters manufactured alongside the unit that caught fire in Pune. Prior to Ola Electric, recalls were issued by Okinawa and Pure EV to check for potential fire hazards.
Government already ordered probe into EV fire incidents
In light of recent mishaps involving electric two-wheelers, the Centre has asked EV manufacturers to voluntarily recall defective vehicles. An expert committee has also been constituted to look into the cases and provide remedial steps. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had said that the government "will issue necessary orders on the defaulting companies. We will soon issue quality-centric guidelines for Electric Vehicles."
