EV norms. ‘EV battery fire probe must bring in stringent norms for the sector’

M Duraivarma, who runs a photo studio in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, bought an electric scooter last week. On March 25, he put the vehicle on charge before going to bed. Early next morning the bike exploded, engulfing the house in smoke. Duraivarma and his 13-year-old daughter died due to asphyxiation. Media reports and police sources say the scooter was manufactured by Okinawa Autotech Pvt Ltd. While some blame the explosion on overcharging, others say the power socket was old and not equipped to charge the bike.

Barely days later, an Ola S1 Pro scooter caught fire in Pune. Fortunately no one was hurt in this incident. Ola released a statement saying it is viewing the incident seriously and investigating it. The company promised to share more details soon. The Government of India, too, has initiated an enquiry to determine the exact cause of these EV-related accidents.

At a time when EV sales are soaring amid rising fuel prices and cost of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, the fire accidents involving two leading electric scooter brands have stoked fears over their safety. The buzz around lithium battery-powered vehicles and ‘clean mobility’ has been growing louder, sparking splashy investments into the EV sector and governments sops for their adoption. Now the manufacturers will have to work harder to allay these fresh concerns over safety.   

Evolving technology

The initial explanation given for the fires was that the thermal runway-battery had overheated and burst into flames.  

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Industry experts say lithium batteries are widely used in EVs due to their high energy density and ability to store a lot of energy in a compact form. But there is a risk of fire as they contain highly reactive substances. “The biggest drawback of Li-ion [lithium ion] batteries is that the liquid electrolyte used is flammable when operating at high temperatures. A crash impact can also cause the chemical to leak and catch fire,” says Ravi Bhatia, President & Director, JATO Dynamics India.  

The electric industry is evolving in India, along with battery technology and associated systems. Startups and incumbents have been lining up to invest in battery technology and EV manufacturing to meet the emission targets set by the government.  

In the traditional ICE segment, the cost of manufacturing is prohibitive, leaving only about two dozen original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the global automotive market. Additionally, stringent norms in ICE car manufacturing assure a modicum of safety and durability.  

In the EV industry, on the other hand, cost is not much of a barrier and there are fewer mandatory requirements for manufacturers. There have been cases of unknown companies importing batteries, fitting them into a machine and selling these as electric vehicles, leading to concerns over the quality of the cells, battery packs and other parts used.  

Regulation and beyond

“Regulators are doing their job, but there is more to it,” says Vivekananda Hallekere, Co-Founder & CEO of Bounce Infinity, which offers battery as a service with its swapping network. “For example, the process of packing every battery has to be done properly. Also, battery health is impacted due to a combination of factors — the most critical variables are the quality of cells, thermal management through BMS [battery management system], chargers, the way the batteries are packed, and rapid charging. Any of these individual elements or a combination can hurt the health of the battery... (and) lead to a risky situation.” 

Another unknown is whether the EVs are tested in various weather conditions.   

“Only the players who are seriously looking into quality will sustain in the future. Companies that are not ensuring quality standards are playing with the lives of their customers. We are trying to implement algorithms for proper quality checks of the parts coming from our vendors,” said Yatin Gupte, Chairman & Managing Director, WardWizard Innovations and Mobility, a BSE-listed electric two-wheeler manufacturer.  

Experts say EV manufacturers must familiarise customers with all aspects — safety and otherwise — related to the use of these vehicles. They should also handhold buyers to ensure they charge the vehicles efficiently and responsibly.  

“I am sure the investigations will be done in the proper spirit and, hopefully, it will lead to some more maturity in the regulatory requirements,” says Bhatia.