Electric Scooter Fire: The process of fire in the electric two-wheeler continues. The new case is from Telangana. Here the battery of an electric scooter of Gurugram based Benling India exploded during charging. Another case pertains to Ola S1 Pro. However, there is no case of fire or explosion in this electric scooter, but a fault in its reverse gear caused the accident. A 65-year-old man was seriously injured in this accident. Let us tell you about these two cases in detail. Be the first to know about the blast in the electric scooter of Benling India.
Benling India e-scooter battery explodes while charging
This incident is from a village in Karimnagar district of Telangana. According to the local police, a person named Egurla Odelu had bought a Falcon electric scooter from Benling India. He put the battery on charge before sleeping on the night of 8 May. Even after a few minutes of charging, the scooter’s battery exploded. However, no one was around during the incident due to which no one was injured. After the blast, some part of the electric scooter got burnt.
There were many problems related to the battery
After a month, the inquiry was ordered. The report claimed that the investigation has investigated fire incidents involving three companies. Preliminary investigations have revealed that a faulty battery was the main reason behind several electric scooter fire accidents that took place in the past one month. The scooters that caught fire were mostly produced by Ola Electric, Pure EV and Okinawa. The report also revealed that in the case of Ola, there was a problem with the battery cell as well as the battery management system. In the case of Okinawa, there was a problem with the cell and battery module and in the Pure EV there was a problem with the battery casing.
Ola e-scooter’s reverse mode turns ‘lethal’
A new type of accident has come to light due to electric scooter. A 65-year-old man was badly injured due to a fault in the reverse gear of the Ola S1 Pro. This incident is from Jabalpur. A person named Pallav Maheshwari on Linkedin told that his father was parking Ola S1 Pro scooter. During this the scooter caught a speed of more than 50Km/h in reverse mode. Due to the disturbance, his head banged on the wall. He has got 10 stitches in his head and his left hand is broken. Pallava has blamed Ola’s software for this.
Expert told the reason behind the explosion in the battery of EV
Live Hindustan spoke to YouTuber auto expert Amit Khare (Ask CarGuru) about the incidents of EV battery fire. He gave 5 reasons for the fire or explosion in the battery used in the electric vehicle. Along with this, important tips were also given about how to avoid it.
1. Melting Plastic Cabinet: All batteries used in EV are coming with plastic cabinet. In such a situation, when they are hot, then the plastic melts. Along with this, the circuits attached to it also start melting. This greatly increases the risk of fire. Even though the battery is fully packed, it still discharges heat. When the battery gets hot, this heat discharge starts increasing rapidly.
2. Low heat sink: Most batteries are lithium ion based. Lithium ion releases more heat. In this case, the cover above the shell should be stronger for this. It should use a heat sink, but battery operators are not using it right now. The major reason for this is also the swappable battery. These batteries are carried from one place to another. In such a situation, if the heat sink in the battery is increased, then its weight will also increase. Due to this there may be some problem in lifting it. Which is why it has been deliberately kept light.
3. Short circuit due to current: The biggest reason for the fire in the trains during the charging station is due to short circuit. This current is so heavy that if the joints of the battery are not tight, then the possibility of short circuit increases in it. A charger of up to 7kw is used in two-wheelers. It is about 5 to 7 times more current than the air conditioner used in the house. So many times due to such a powerful charger, there is a danger of short circuit in the battery. Our technician is not yet ready to handle this much current.
4. Battery heating up by temperature: The temperature is increasing rapidly in the country these days. There is also the problem of fire in vehicles. In electric two-wheelers, the battery is used under the seat. In such a situation, when the car is parked in the sun, then its body temperature becomes 70 degrees or more. The lower part of the seat is air tight, so its temperature also becomes the same. When we start the car, it takes more power of the motor to move it forward. This raises the temperature even more. Due to this reason, the car starts getting small and many times due to heat, the battery catches on fire.
5. Made by Chinese Manufacturers: Most of the manufacturers of batteries are Chinese and Taiwanese. In such a situation, due to reducing the weight and cost of the battery, the heat sink is not used well in it. The cooling of the battery has not yet been worked out well. Due to this negligence, there are incidents of fire in the battery of the vehicle. On the other hand, heat sinks and coolants are also used in cars with more kWh batteries. It keeps the car battery very cool.
6 things to keep in mind while using electric two wheeler
1. Charge the two-wheeler battery at a place in the house which is an outdoor area. Do not place it on a cloth or wooden surface.
2. Do not leave the battery on charging all night. Charge as long as you are awake. Turn off charging while sleeping.
3. Avoid charging if the e-vehicle gets drenched in water. Even after drying and cleaning thoroughly, put it on charging.
4. If you smell the slightest smell while driving, do not ignore it. Immediately stop the car and first open the seat. So that the heat inside goes out.