EVs face a burning question of safety after serial fire incidents

Serial fires in green two-wheelers in a week raise questions about the regulation and safety standards of this fast-growing section of the automobile industry

Serial fire incidents involving Okinawa Autotech, Ola S1 Pro and Pure EV within a week have prompted all the stakeholders, including the government and electric vehicle (EV) makers, to swing into damage-control mode.

On Tuesday night, videos of an electric scooter model of Pune-based Pure EV, a seven-year-old EV two-wheeler maker, engulfed in flames in Chennai went viral on social media. It was the fourth such incident involving e-scooters within a week, putting in doubt the safety of battery-operated two-wheelers. Home-grown Okinawa, meanwhile, recorded two incidents. 

“It’s unfortunate and it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. We are seeking inputs from