Amid EV Fire Incidents, Pure EV Recalls More Than 2,000 Scooters

-After a spate of fire incidents involving its electric scooters, Pure EV on Thursday (April 21) said it was recalling more than 2,000 scooters.

“In view of the recent fire incidents involving our vehicles in Nizamabad and Chennai, PURE EV has decided to recall 2000 vehicles from the models ETRANCE+ and EPLUTO 7G of the concerned batches,” the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer said in a statement.

The vehicles will be recalled to ascertain issues related to battery imbalance and charger calibration. “The vehicles and batteries therein shall undergo a thorough check for their health. We shall inspect the battery for any imbalance issues and shall calibrate through our device BATRICS FARADAY. Additionally the BMS (Battery Management System) and charger calibration shall be carried out as required,” the statement added.

BATRICS FARADAY is Pure EV’s proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) system that automatically resolves defects in Lithium-ion batteries.

Pure EV said it will reach out to customers via dealerships and organise ‘health check ups’ for vehicle and battery safety.

The move comes days after another mishap involving the company’s scooter claimed the life of an 80-year-old man and injured two others in Telangana. The incident took place after the battery of the scooter exploded in the state’s Nizamabad district on Tuesday (April 19).

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Roads, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari warned EV manufacturers on Thursday. In a series of tweets, Gadkari said companies should take “advance action to recall all defective batches of vehicles immediately”. 

In a stern warning, he also said that EV manufacturers who are found to be negligent will face heavy penalties and a recall of all defective vehicles will be immediately ordered.

Earlier this month, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant also urged the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to voluntarily recall the batches of EVs involved in recent accidents.

Most EV manufacturers import Lithium-ion batteries from China. Critics have pointed out the lack of quality control in those batteries. Reports have also emerged of scooters malfunctioning and heating up in summers in India. 

Fire Engulfs The EV Industry

It all began in March this year after a video of an Ola Electric ebike on fire went viral on social media. Later that month, another incident involving an Okinawa EV was reported from Tamil Nadu’s Vellore which claimed the lives of two people, including a 13-year old girl. 

Since then, a spate of incidents have come to light involving players such as HCD India, Jitendra EV, among others.

In response, the Centre deputed a high-level team to the accident sites in Vellore, Pune and Trichy to probe the matter. The team comprised of experts from the Indian Institute of Science and the Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety. It  will investigate the cause of the fires. 

The investigation will cover a gamut of issues including manufacturing issues and adherence to standards during the manufacturing process. 

Speaking about the EV fires, Hero Electric MD Naveen Munjal had called the incidents a wake up call for the industry. He said the issues with EVs would have to be addressed by proper testing and due diligence.

According to the Federation of Automobile Dealership Associations (FADA), 4.29 Lakh EVs were sold in FY22. Hero Electric continues to lead the sector, with a market share of 28.23% in the two-wheeler segment. Okinawa Autotech came in second, grabbing 20.08% of the market share.

The overall Indian EV market was pegged at $1,434.04 Bn in 2021, and is expected to grow to $15,397.19 Bn by 2027 at a CAGR of 47.09%.