Low battery cells, modules likely ended in e-scooter fire in India, preliminary probe finds

NEW DELHI, Would maybe fair 6 (Reuters) – Low battery cells and modules had been identified because the main location off of electric scooters catching fire in India in contemporary weeks, in preserving with the findings of an preliminary federal investigation, two executive sources urged Reuters.

The probe looked into fire incidents interesting three corporations, along with Ola Electric, which is backed by Japan’s SoftBank Group (9984.T), and became once the country’s high-selling e-scooter maker in April.

“In Ola’s case, the battery cells had been came across to be a controversy as effectively because the battery management map,” acknowledged one in every of the sources, who has converse details of the file.

In March, India launched an investigation over safety concerns after a spate of e-scooter fires, along with one the keep aside a man and his daughter died when their e-bike “went up in flames”. learn more

India desires e-scooters and e-bikes to form up 80% of total two-wheeler sales by 2030, from about 2% this day. However concerns over safety jeopardise person self belief and could perchance maybe derail development of a sector that is key to the country’s carbon bargain goals. learn more

“The executive has taken samples of cells from the three corporations to form further checks,” the person acknowledged, along with that the final investigation file is anticipated in about two weeks.

Ola, which sources its cells from South Korea’s LG Energy Resolution (LGES) (373220.KS), says it is working with the manager on the reveal and has appointed an exterior expert company, as well to conducting its include probe.

“As per the preliminary assessment of these consultants, there became once no fault of the Ola battery management map at all and it became once likely an isolated thermal incident,” an organization spokesperson acknowledged in an announcement.

“The Indian executive’s file has no longer yet been released or shared with us. We can’t comment on the file as now we haven’t yet identified the root location off of the Ola scooter incident in March,” LGES in Seoul acknowledged in an announcement to Reuters.

On April 18, an executive at LGES in India, Prashant Kumar, urged Reuters that the corporate and Ola are “collaborating on an miserable incident and looking out for to cherish the root location off.”

The executive probe also looked into fire incidents interesting scooters built by Indian startups Okinawa and PureEV. In Okinawa’s case there became once a controversy with the cells and battery modules and for PureEV it became once the battery casing, acknowledged the first source.

PureEV and Okinawa didn’t answer to an email looking out for comment but have previously acknowledged they are investigating the fires and have issued a purchase of some scooters. learn more

The preliminary findings of the investigation have ended in the manager to take into accout making an strive out battery cells of e-scooters sooner than they are allowed to birth, acknowledged the 2d source.

India for the time being tests the battery packs but no longer the cells which could perchance very effectively be essentially imported from South Korea or China.

“If India decides to test the cells, this could perchance fair need to manufacture the infrastructure and ride,” acknowledged the person.

Reporting by Aditi Shah, further reporting by Heekyong Yang in Seoul; Enhancing by Louise Heavens

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.