We have reported 4 cases of electric scooter battery catching fire in this month alone. Today, we are, unfortunately, adding yet another case.
Several past incidents have underscored challenges encountered by scooter owners, including cases where vehicles caught fire. A recently surfaced online video depicts a rather alarming event involving an electric scooter. Smoke started emanating from the scooter, quickly escalating into a fire within seconds. The video of the incident went viral online to raise awareness about safety concerns associated with EVs.
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5th Electric Scooter Battery Catching Fire
This latest case was posted on the rushlane handle on Instagram. The visuals capture the entire incident. A man is seen parking his electric scooter in the street right next to his house. However, as soon as he is about to leave the electric scooter behind, he notices something unusual. Smoke starts to emanate out of the EV. He picks up the seat of the scooter and witnesses sparks. Within a matter of seconds, the entire electric scooter was consumed by flames. He initially called people for help. But because the fire grew rapidly, everyone stayed back and watched the electric scooter burn. The video ends abruptly and we don’t know if the onlookers tried to douse the fire using water or sand or not.
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Why Are EV Battery Fires So Dangerous?
Typically, the battery is meticulously sealed and designed to remain intact even in challenging circumstances. Nevertheless, if an EV battery ignites, traditional firefighting approaches frequently fall short. The rationale is straightforward – the components of the EV battery serve as fuel themselves, leading to Thermal Runaway. This occurs when the electrolyte deteriorates, emitting not only oxygen but also various hazardous gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrofluoric acid, and cobalt. In such instances, attempting to douse the flames with water or employing fire extinguishers is futile.
The government has been strict on the two-wheeler manufacturers to encourage them to keep the quality assurance to the highest standards. We don’t think there are any major electric two-wheeler companies whose products have not caught fire yet. Hence, it becomes an issue of quality assurance. If the fires are being caused by using sub-standard materials, the auto companies must remedy that. Therefore, we are eagerly waiting for these two-wheeler brands to announce prominent changes to their EVs so that such situations are minimized, if not eliminated.
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How Should EV Owners Prepare Themselves?
Until we get electric scooters with the highest level of safety from the factory, we must strive to do our part as EV owners. See there are certain practices that one could adopt if they own an electric car. Firstly, know that EVs are inherently different from ICE cars. Therefore, you must inculcate some habits to ensure your safety and well-being. This includes things like not charging the electric vehicle inside the home. Many people often take their electric scooters inside the house premises to park and charge overnight. It is not a great practice. In such cases, if fires occur, it is bound to consume the entire house.
Furthermore, many electric scooters also allow the owners to remove the battery and charge it. In such cases, people even take these batteries inside their houses to charge. In fact, we recently reported one case where the EV battery caught fire inside a room in the house of an EV owner. He was at home with his mother. Things got quite horrendous as toxic flames threatened to cause fatal injuries. Somehow, they were able to escape. But it again showcases just how perilous things could get with EV fires.
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Government’s Policy on EV Fire
In response to a surge in electric vehicle (EV) fire incidents in India, the government and fire department took action. New battery safety norms were introduced by the Road and Transport Ministry, effective December 1, 2022, to strengthen testing parameters for EV batteries. Additional safety provisions were implemented in phases, with Phase 1 starting on December 1, 2022, and Phase 2 on March 31, 2023. A committee was formed to investigate safety concerns, leading to the introduction of further safety measures by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). State governments are also developing policies to address EV safety issues.
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Author’s Note
We strongly advise our readers against charging EV batteries at home. This precaution is already practised in many Western countries, and it’s an excellent safety measure to adopt. Lithium-ion batteries are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, and if they become too hot for any reason, the risk of ignition increases significantly. Once these batteries catch fire, extinguishing the flames requires specialized techniques; simply dousing them with water is insufficient. We sincerely hope that individuals never engage in such activities at home, prioritizing not only their own safety but also the safety of those around them.
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