It has been not even a month since a tragic EV fire incident killed eight people in Telangana, and now an EV battery blast has claimed the life of a class 2 student in Palghar, Maharashtra.
On September 23, the e-scooter battery kept in his house exploded while charging. Because of the explosion, the television set caught fire in the room. As a result, the boy suffered major burns. The boy is said to be sleeping with his mother at the time of the explosion.
The report quoting a police official said, "Shabbir's father had brought the assembled e-scooter from Jaipur and kept the battery for charging in the living room. Prima facie, the battery exploded due to excess heating."
On September 13, eight people were killed and several others were injured after a massive fire broke out in a multi-storeyed building in Secunderabad, Telangana.
These recent incidents have not only dented public's trust in such EVs, but has also prompted the concerned authorities to take necessary measures. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highway has extended the implementation of additional provisions in the battery safety standards and has allowed electric vehicle battery makers more time till March 31, 2023 in 2 phases beginning from December 2022.
The recent incidents of electric scooters catching fire have raised many safety concerns. The spate of fire incidents have casted a shadow over the prominent and fast-growing industry. Battery is the most important component of any electric vehicle. The Indian climate and road conditions could be very harsh on these batteries possibly leading to such unfortunate cases. It is very critical that one understands battery care and how to take care of your EV.
A few simple steps might prevent such horrific incidents from happening.
Parking your EV in shade or while charging will ensure that your battery is always operating within the right temperature window and never overheats while charging.
Always use authentic chargers for your EV to avoid any unnecessary charging issues.
Make sure to never overcharge your battery or completely drained- keep it with the 20%-80% bracket.
By following a few pointers, such mishaps can be easily avoided as these unfortunate incidents not only leave a scar in the minds of the victims, but also cast a dark shadow over the whole EV industry.
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