Although fires in electric vehicles due to the battery pack are not unique to India alone, the recent incidence involving an electric two-wheeler has brought the discussion to the fore again. The co-founder and CEO of Ather Energy, Tarun Mehta has said that many of the battery packs for electric vehicles imported into the country were not designed for Indian weather conditions.
The recent fire incident involving an e-scooter in Pune was the basis of Mehta’s statement. While there has been a spike in the production and importation of electric vehicles to India, the battery packs are mainly from China. Local EV manufacturers do not have any inputs into the battery packs that are used in these EVs. Most of these battery packs, according to the Ather CEO, are not suitable for the Indian hot weather. Average temperatures on Indian roads can hover above 45 degrees Celsius and this can create overheating of the battery pack.
Tarun Mehta also feels that the demand for high-speed electric scooters in the market could also be contributing to battery overheating issues. Powering a higher grade electric motor with the same battery pack meant for a less-powerful motor induces more thermal load on the battery. This ultimately leads to overheating and vehicle fires. Ather is however investing in the development of battery packs that are well suited for the Indian conditions.
There is a need for regulatory agencies to step up their work to ensure that only suitable battery packs are allowed in the country. There had been several fire incidents involving Okinawa products recently, and the latest incident did not have any fatalities.
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