In response to several incidents of EV two-wheelers spontaneously catching on fire, India’s central transport minister Nitin Gadkari has issued a response via Twitter.
In a series of tweets, Gadkari called upon EV manufacturers to adopt a proactive approach to the problem and voluntarily recall faulty vehicles.
Several mishaps involving Electric Two Wheelers have come to light in last two months. It is most unfortunate that some people have lost their lives and several have been injured in these incidents.
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) April 21, 2022
“Several mishaps involving Electric Two Wheelers have come to light in last two months. It is most unfortunate that some people have lost their lives and several have been injured in these incidents,” Gadkari said, addressing multiple reports over the last month.
Earlier this month, an Ola eScooter reportedly caught on fire in Guwahati. Pure EV and Okinawa Autotech Pvt, local two wheeler EV startups, have also faced criticism over similar incidents recently.
Assuring the governments priority of acting upon the situation, Gadkari further added “We have constituted an Expert Committee to enquire into these incidents and make recommendations on remedial steps. Based on the reports, we will issue necessary orders on the defaulting companies. We will soon issue quality-centric guidelines for Electric Vehicles.”
Gadkari also advised manufacturers to take advanced action and recall defective batches, warning for strict action against negligent manufacturers.
The central government has been offering huge incentives to local EV startups, but a string of reports, some involving rider fatalities, have had a considerable impact on the common man’s trust in the concept. There have been multiple reports of EV scooters catching fire on their own, including ones from Softbank-backed unicorn, Ola Electric.
