Faulty Battery Cells, Modules The Cause Of EV Fires In India?

More information regarding EV fires in India has been revealed by two government sources involved in the federal investigation. The sources have revealed that the fire incidents were due to faulty battery cells and modules used in the electric scooters.

Contrary to Ola Electric’s statement earlier about an S1 Pro catching fire in the outskirts of Pune in March, the government source informs Reuters that the scooter’s battery cells and thermal management system were found to be the ‘issue,’ causing the electric vehicle (EV) to go up in flames.

Apart from Ola Electric, the government probe has also been investigating the multiple Okinawa Autotech and PureEV, scooter fire incidents. One of the sources reveals that the battery cells and modules were the issue with the Okinawa scooters, whereas for PureEV the battery casing was at fault.

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This has opened room for further investigation, with the government taking sample cells from all three EV manufacturers for more inspection. The final investigation report is due in two weeks.

Moreover, one of the sources mentions that from the preliminary investigation, the government is also considering testing battery cells on EVs before they are launched, to avoid such unforeseen events.

EV fire incidents have really affected the popularity of electric vehicles in the country, not to mention the skyrocketing safety concerns about the same. And when the government is pushing for an electric future, the aim is to have EVs contribute to 80 percent of total two-wheeler sales by 2030, these incidents jeopardize those long-term plans.

Source: Reuters