EV fire incidents: Centre to take action against EV makers after forensic probe
The Centre has ordered forensic probe into the recent EV fire incidents that took place across the country. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that the government has taken the incidents very seriously and will take action against the electric two-wheeler manufacturers in case the probe report finds them at fault.
In the past week, there have been four reported incidents of fire in two-wheeler electric vehicles. This include Ola Electric's S1 Pro which caught fire in Pune, Maharashtra. Ola Electric has announced an independent probe into the incident to find out the exact reason. However, there have been no official statements from the other EV two-wheeler manufacturers on their course of action after the fire incidents.
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Nitin Gadkari, Road Transport and Highways Minister, said, "A total of four incidents of fire in two-wheeler EVs have been reported in the past one week and this is a very serious issue. We have ordered a forensic investigation into each of the individual events from experts of Centre for Fire Explosive, DRDO and IISc, Bengaluru."
Gadkari, who has been pushing India towards electric vehicles and cleaner fuel quite aggressively, said India's standards for approval of EV and batteries are apt with the global standards. "We are waiting for the report from the expert committee. After receiving the report, we will find out exactly what is the reason behind that. On the basis of that report, we will take appropriate action against the manufacturer."
According to the minister, the prima facie reason behind the fire incidents was high temperature. "We are still waiting for the report of the expert committee. After we receive the report of the expert committee, we will take appropriate action. We will also take sufficient measures for the safety of the people," Gadkari said.
The electric scooters currently available in India mostly come packed with lithium-ion batteries. Whether used in electric vehicles or electronic devices, these batteries can catch fire if they have been improperly manufactured or damaged, or if the software that operates the battery is not designed correctly.
