Another electric scooter catches fire in Tamil Nadu, owner jumps off

Another incident of a fully-electric two-wheeler going up in flames has come into the light. The incident took place in Hosur, an industrial hub in Tamil Nadu. According to a report by PTI, the owner of the electric vehicle, a supervisor at a private firm in Bengaluru, had a providential escape.

The owner, Satish Kumar, observed fire suddenly under the seat when he jumped out of the EV. The electric vehicle went up in flames while passersby rushed in to douse the fire. However, the EV was entirely gutted, informed police. The report mentioned that the owner bought the electric scooter last year.

A series of EV fire incidents in the last few months have become a cause of concern for many and more so as it may negatively impact the adoption of electric vehicles. Last month, a father and daughter duo died due to suffocation caused by the smoke following the explosion of the electric bike while it was on charge.Another incident of an electric two-wheeler catching fire in Manapparai in Tiruchirappalli district was also reported. Earlier this month, a man died when the detachable battery of the electric scooter kept for charging exploded in his house in Telangana.

There was one more incident that occurred in Ambur where a man flamed his electric scooter after the company failed to help when the owner complained that the EV stopped working after 50 km. The video of the man torching his own bike went viral on social media.

Taking note these EV fire incidents, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently announced that EV companies found negligent will be penalised and a recall of all defective vehicles will be ordered after receiving the report of an expert panel that has been formed to inquire into the matter.