Fires Force A Rethink

THE RECENT SPURT IN FIRE ACCIDENTS HAS BROUGHT THE SPOTLIGHT BACK ON OPERATOR, OCCUPANT AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. ASHISH BHATIA WITH PRATEEK PARDESHI CHECKS ON THE PUSH FOR MANUFACTURING COST-EFFECTIVE EVS THAT ARE SAFE.

- ASHISH BHATIA

The reliability of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVS) has taken a beating in the recent past with ad hoc fire incidents being reported across the countries. The hit was initially taken by two-wheeler EV startups serving the aggregate business model. They got the desired push early on as they rode the clean and green mobility wave. However, with the government forced to intervene with multiple such instances putting a question mark on safety, it compelled manufacturers to recall suspect product batches The draft EV policy emphasises on standardising EV battery packs. The focus has gone beyond manufacturing costeffective EVs to building safe EVs. Pratik Kamdar, Co-Founder, Neuron Energy mentioned, "A lot of players are entering the industry without comprehensive knowledge of the batteries with regards to quality. The industry is still a fledgling one and the majority of dealers and customers are not educated or aware of the technology." He advocated the need for a regulatory framework that ensures EV manufacturers and battery makers are held accountable for use of cells, Battery Management Systems (BMS), and compliance with regulations. "Even low-speed bikes need to be regulated by the government. EV manufacturers and battery makers should use fire-resistant grade battery materials along with superior BMS and best quality cells so these kinds of fire accidents can be avoided in the future," he opined.

FORCING A RETHINK