Update: After the publication of the story, an agency said to be representing Ola Electric clarified that "the article mentions that Ola has been summoned by the government, however, Ola has not received anything like that."
The moment of reckoning may be near for two-wheeler EV companies like Ola Electric, Okinawa, Pure EV, Jitendra Electric Vehicles & Boom Motors. Their EVs were the ones involved in the bulk of battery fires that have infamously made the headlines in recent times.
Following the reports of EVs going up in flames or exploding due to alleged faulty battery cells in several parts of the country, the Road Transport Ministry had asked DRDO's (Defence Research Development Organisation's) lab CFEES (Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety) to conduct an investigation into the unseemly blazes.
Media reports have it that CFEES has submitted its report to the relevant Ministry.
Report says EV makers used low-grade materials
Reports say that the DRDO's fire research wing had found serious defects in the batteries, including designs of the battery packs and modules. The report is said to have suggested that the defects occur because the electric two-wheeler manufacturers (Okinawa Autotech, Pure EV, Jitendra Electric Vehicles, Ola Electric and Boom Motors) may have used 'lower-grade materials to cut costs'.
The ministry has now summoned representatives of these EV manufacturers, asking them to submit an explanation on the findings of the DRDO report. The Ministry will fully hear the companies and then at an appropriate level a decision will be taken whether to accept their explanation or reject it, it is said.
Earlier this month, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which comes under the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry, sent notices to Pure EV and Boom Motors after their e-scooters exploded in April. The consumer watchdog is also examining more cases of e-scooter fires and will serve similar notices to other EV makers too.
The Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had also said the government would issue quality-centric guidelines for electric vehicles.
"If any company is found negligent in their processes, a heavy penalty will be imposed and a recall of all defective vehicles will also be ordered," he had said. He told the companies to take advance action to recall all defective batches of vehicles immediately.
Ola Electric, Pure EV, and Okinawa Autotech, for their part, recalled some of their scooters in the wake of allegations of malfunctioning, and fire incidents involving the battery pack. In all, Ola Electric has recalled over 1,400 electric scooters, Pure has recalled EV 2,000 units of its ETrance+ and EPluto 7G scooters, while Okinawa Autotech has recalled 3,215 scooters.
