VIJAYAWADA: Prospective buyers are hesitant to go for electric two-wheelers due to safety concerns though they are considered as a viable alternative to vehicles that run on expensive petrol. Three electric vehicles had gone up in flames in the State this month due to battery-related problems. A 40-year-old man was killed and three others — his wife and two daughters — received severe burn injuries when the battery of an electric scooter blew up while it was being charged in his house at Gulabi Thota in Vijayawada on Saturday. The other two incidents were reported at Machilipatnam and Eluru where the owners suffered huge losses. An electric vehicle and a conventional two-wheeler costs more or less the same. The EV has an advantage as its operational cost is less compared to the conventional two-wheeler as the price of petrol has skyrocketed to Rs 120 per litre.
When TNIE asked a city-based EV dealer, KVK Raju of Rise Motors, if the safety concerns affected the sale of e-scooters, he said, “Of course, there is a decline in the sale of electric vehicles due to the fear among the public. Though the vehicle is cost-effective and eco-friendly, the recent incidents are acting as a deterrent. Prospective buyers are apprehensive to opt for an electric vehicle. One can save up to Rs 5,000 per month on fuel if they use an electric scooter. We used to sell 40 scooters per month on an average earlier,” he said.
The number has declined by half after a series of mishaps involving electric vehicles, which has hit our business, he said. The dealer pointed out that battery problems and other complaints are being reported only with the assembled electric vehicles and not with the branded ones. “Customers need to verify the antecedents of company and safety standards before purchasing an electric two-wheeler. Several startups and small companies are just assembling electric vehicles with imported parts, ignoring safety aspects. This has an adverse impact on the entire electric scooter market,” he explained.
Another e-bike dealer Satya explained that the primary reason for electric scooters catching fire is thermal runaway. “It occurs due to multiple factors, which include melting of the electrolyte, operational temperature of the battery, poor quality of battery cells and battery pack assemblies and lack of active cell assemblies. In addition, there are some other factors such as poor maintenance, prolonged charging hours and fast charging that contribute to fire mishaps,” he explained.
When TNIE asked Venkateswara Rao, a resident of Suryaraopet, about his choice, he said he would still prefer electric scooter to conventional two-wheeler in the wake of skyrocketing petrol price. “Risk is everywhere. If we use the vehicle properly, there will not be any problem. The electric vehicle is cost-effective and eco-friendly,” he asserted.