Recent incidents of electric vehicles (EVs) catching fire are bound to create speed bumps in EV adoption, said industry experts.
“Currently, many new-age players are engaging in wrong practices by selling battery powered EVs without following proper protocols,” Uday Narang, founder and chairman, Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) said.
“This is giving a bad name to players who had done an in-depth research before introducing their EVs, thereby causing fear in the market,” he added.
“I only worry about one thing that, once fear kicks in into consumers’ minds, no advantage will attract them to buy EVs,” Mr. Narang said.
He said before introducing any EV in the market, his company followed ‘progressive testing’ at every stage across engineering, design and manufacturing. He also cautioned against charging EVs immediately after a ride.
“Let the battery cool down and then put it on charge. Secondly, use only the designated battery and original charging cable. And lastly, it is most important to keep a check on the battery,” he added.
He said once something suspicious is noticed one should avoid using the vehicle and take it to the service station immediately.
According to Dr. Yogesh Kumar Sharma, Associate Professor, IIT, Roorkee, the primary reason for an EV battery catching fire is the “volatility of electrolyte and its extra reactivity in a charged state.”
Akash Soni, co-founder & CEO, Indi Energy, a start-up that develops batteries said, “EV fire incidents can also happen due to lack of battery/EV quality control checks, and not following safety protocols as per international standards.”
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