After months of reporting on EVs catching fire all over the country and the recent death tolls caused by the EV battery explosions, the Government of India is ready to take some serious actions. Perhaps if these rules and announcements would have been made sooner, a few lives could have been spared. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, has taken it to Twitter and said that companies found to be negligent will be penalised and all defective products will be ordered for recall.
“Several mishaps involving electric two-wheelers have come to light in the last two months. It is most unfortunate that some people have lost their lives and several have been in these incidents. We have constituted an Expert Committee to enquire into these incidents and make recommendations on remedial steps. 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,” said Gadkari.
He also said that based on the findings of the Expert Committee, the government will issue necessary orders on the defaulting companies and quality-centric guidelines for EVs will be issued soon. The Minister's statement came after the horrible incident involving a family in Hyderabad.
The EVs involved in the fires and explosions are from PURE EV, Okinawa, Ola and a truck transporting 40 Jitendra e-scooters caught fire as well. All the manufacturers are given a window to recall all the defective products voluntarily, if, after the EC’s report, they found anyone guilty, the government will definitely penalise them.
Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, the government is pushing makers towards carbon reduction and various climate goals. India hopes to achieve 80% of total EV 2-wheeler sales by 2030 compared to the 2% sales at present. Keeping that in mind, the Modi government is offering incentives of billions of dollars to various companies to make EVs locally.