Bajaj responds to Chetak fire incident in Aurangabad, says no battery issues found

Bajaj Auto has released a statement following the recent fire incident with the Chetak electric scooter in Chattrapati Sambhaji Nagar, (Aurangabad). The company said that the isolated incident was a result of smoke coming from a certain plastic component rather than the battery and motor. Bajaj also emphasised that the battery and motor remained intact with no damage to either component. A Bajaj Chetak electric scooter caught fire in Chattrapati Sambhaji Nagar recently, following Rajiv Bajaj, MD - Bajaj Auto's statement, "Ola Ola hai, Chetak shola hai."

Bajaj said the brand's dealer partner conducted a thorough investigation by taking the damaged vehicle to the service centre. The preliminary investigation revealed that there was no thermal runaway and the smoke seen emitting was from a plastic component. The company further said that the materials used in the battery pack ensured the safety of the vehicle despite the smoke.

A statement from Bajaj Auto read, "An incident involving a Chetak electric scooter was reported in the afternoon hours of the 5th of December at As soon as this was brought to our attention, the dealer partner took swift action by moving the vehicle to the service centre for a thorough investigation. The incident resulted in no harm to any individuals.

Preliminary investigations reveal that while there was no fire or thermal runaway, the event was limited to smoke emission from a plastic component, with the battery and motor remaining intact. The materials used in the battery pack ensured the safety of the vehicle even under such a condition."

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"As a manufacturer, Bajaj Auto is committed to maintaining high quality products to ensure customer safety. We are conducting a comprehensive investigation to determine the root cause of this isolated incident, fully committed to understanding and addressing any potential issues. Bajaj Auto has been at the forefront of electric mobility, with over 300,000 Chetak scooters on Indian roads. Our extensive network includes 3800+ service centres, and on-road service points, underlining our commitment to customer satisfaction and safety. We urge our customers to exclusively use our authorized service network to maintain the highest standards of safety and quality for their Chetaks. The safety of customers and stakeholders has always been the absolute highest priority at Bajaj Auto," the statement added.

Bajaj confirmed that no one was harmed in the incident but it did ignite conversations once again about the overall safety of electric vehicles. The previous incidents surrounding EVs have been deterrent to their popularity and prompted the government to mandate the AIS 156 standards that electric vehicle makers now follow.

The incident also comes at a time when the Bajaj Chetak has been one of the strongest selling electric scooters this year. It pipped the TVS iQube to become the second bestselling e-scooter in September and has been one of the top three electric scooters on sale. The company is gearing up to launch the new-generation Bajaj Chetak on December 20, 2024, which should bring notable upgrades to the vehicle.

Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India, Upcoming EV Bikes in India.