HYDERABAD: An e-bike explosion at Dubbaka in Siddipet on Wednesday, in which the vehicle brunt down to ashes, has once again raised concerns over the safety of electric vehicles. The incident took place while the vehicle was charging. Over the last few months there have been a number of such incidents in the country. Most of the EVs reportedly caught fire while they were charging.
According to experts, there needs to be an enhancement in the EVs. “Since EVs are new to India, many manufacturers do not understand that such vehicles do not withstand continues heat conditions such as summers in India. The manufacturers have to work on improving the battery qualities, which is the life of EVs,” they said.
“EV companies need to design batteries that are suitable for all kinds of weather conditions. There is no proper R&D (research and development) being carried out before launching the EVs and this has become a safety concern for the users. The lithium battery technologies need to be improved in order make the EVs safer for use and free from any kind of incidents,” Vinod Kanumala, a road safety expert, said.
N Janaiah, Managing Director of TSREDCO said that the public should be well aware of how to use and charge the EVs. “Many EV users keep the batteries plugged in through the night. This practice damages the batteries. Manufacturers should design an alert system in EVs so that the users cut the power when the battery is fully charged,” he said.
Safety tips
Ensure your electric bike comes with a warranty
Read user manual thoroughly and follow the precautions
If possible, set up a smoke detector where you charge your e-bike
Always remember to plug out the charger when the battery is full
Connect the electric bike correctly and try to avoid power extensions
Park your e-bike at a right place and avoid direct exposure to sun and rain