Explained: Why the govt is working on quality guidelines for EVs after surge in scooter fires
In the last few weeks, over a dozen electric scooters have caught fire including those manufactured by Ola Electric, Okinawa, Pure EV and Jitendra EV. Here's how the government is responding
A man checks his mobile phone as he waits while recharging his Ola electric scooter at an electric vehicle charging station in New Delhi. (Reuters Photo: Aditi Shah, File) Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari Thursday cautioned electric vehicle manufacturers, asking them to take “advance action” in recalling all defective batches of vehicles immediately and said the government would soon issue quality-centric guidelines for EVs. His comments came in the wake of over a dozen instances of electric scooters erupting into flames across the country, claiming at least four lives so far.
How many instances of EV fires have there been?
In the last few weeks, over a dozen electric scooters have caught fire including those manufactured by Ola Electric, Okinawa, Pure EV and Jitendra EV. In March, an Ola Electric scooter in Pune burst in flames while parked on the roadside of a busy commercial area. Later that month, an Okinawa scooter erupted into flames claiming the lives of a man and his 13-year-old daughter.
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