This e-bike company explains why so many e-scooters are catching fire 

Amid a spate of incidents of electric scooters catching fire, a Mumbai-based rental electric bikes platform eBikeGo has explained why these incidents have been taking place in such quick succession. According to the founder and CEO of eBikeGo, Dr Irfan Khan, batteries used in electric vehicles require special attention due to high production and complexities related to maintenance to avoid such instances in future.

Calling the current incidents “really regrettable”, Khan told BusinessToday.In, “Manufacturers of these electric vehicles need [to] also make sure that all of their batteries are approved. A cell must be well-made, regrettably, some providers may not be producing lithium cells to industry standards. ”

He added that there are also concerns of how the battery pack is put together as even minor issues can lead to major problems. Khan furthermore said that battery management system (BMS) is another important element as a BMS with a lot of sensors “can detect everything from the temperature of various portions of the battery pack to ambient temperatures and operating conditions should be able to isolate areas of the battery pack far before any problem arises on most electric vehicles.”

The eBikeGo boss also underscored that BMS should be improved and companies should focus on wider adoption of chemistries like lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium titanate (LTO) since they have lower energy density and higher temperature tolerance compared to nickel manganese cobalt (NMC), which is being currently used.

He also said that testing requirements for EV batteries need to be modified in the wake of such incidents and EV batteries require special attention due to complexities in production and maintenance. 

“This may be avoided mostly by modifying the testing requirements, since we must adapt and learn from each incident, such as when cooking moved from wood to CNG. EV batteries require special attention due to their high production and maintenance complexity.”

The eBikeGo founder also underlined that better battery technology can aid in establishing and increasing sales of EVs. 

He noted, “It’s simple to fix the problem this way. It is easier to anticipate the scale and efficiency of items on the market if the batteries also have smart BMS. We can avoid and overcome accidents and save lives by taking these simple procedures.”

Khan is also of the opinion that battery manufacturers should avoid mimicking the western technology since climatic conditions in India are vastly different and that the focal point should be to make electric vehicles “more adaptable and efficient by using technology that isn’t damaging to our climate.”

Also read: E-bike catches fire at Okinawa showroom in Tamil Nadu, firm issues statement

Also read: EV maker Okinawa to recall 3,215 units of Praise Pro scooters over battery issue

Also read: EV batteries should be designed as per India’s weather, road conditions: Ather Energy

Also read: Concerns about safety of e-scooters up 8X in 7 months: LocalCircles survey