Battery defects, insufficient testing caused EV fires: DRDO report

'Defects may have happened because companies intentionally used lower-grade materials to cut costs,' it says.

The electric scooter fires that made news in recent weeks were caused by defects in their batteries, including in the designs of the battery packs and modules, says a report by the Defence Research & Development Organisation. A person who has seen the report told Business Standard the defects may have crept in because electric two-wheeler companies intentionally used lower-grade materials to cut costs.

The country aims to increase the share of electric scooters and motorcycles in total two-wheeler sales to 80 per cent by 2030 from 2 percent now. However, consumer sentiment has been roiled by the nine reported incidents since last year of electric two-wheelers catching fire, including those by Ola, Okinawa, Pure EV, Boom Motor and Jitendra Electric Vehicles.

In March, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways asked the Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES) — the fire science and engineering arm of DRDO — to investigate the circumstances that caused the incidents. The CFEES submitted its report to the ministry last week.

“It can be said the incidents were a result of the low quality of battery cells and lack of enough testing of battery packs under various temperatures,” said the person who has seen the report. The CFEES, he said, has suggested strengthening the regulations for EV manufacturers as early as possible.

From January next year, India will make it mandatory for EV makers to comply with a new set of safety standards called AIS-156, which are more stringent than the AIS-048 standards currently in force — the ones that cleared all those vehicles that caught fire.

The AIS-156 enforces higher standards for all tests, such as those for short circuit, overcharge, vibration, shock, and nail penetration.

In addition, it includes a fire resistance test, which subjects the battery to a direct flame for 70 seconds.

A senior road ministry official confirmed that the report had been received and the findings will be shared with EV makers. “We can make a public statement or take any action only after they respond,” the official said. The ministry has already sought detailed information on safety mechanisms and quality standards being adopted by EV makers.

The CFEES is also believed to have suggested a system for surprise checks and audits to ensure that companies conform to the standards during mass manufacturing. “Though the batteries were approved by regulatory agencies, there is no system now to ensure that all vehicles conform to the quality benchmarks,” said the person who has seen the report.