The government on Monday said a probe has found that a major reason for the ongoing spate of electric vehicle fires is lapses in the safety standards applied to batteries.

In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Union Road Transport Secretary Giridhar Aramane said a defective cell is usually the biggest cause of such fires — if a cell is defective or battery management system is not proper, it can cause an explosion. "Our initial investigation reveals that there is a need for a large improvement in ... the functional safety aspects of cells and batteries," Aramane said.

He said the design, manufacturing, and testing of batteries needs to be very thoughtful, careful, and systematic. "The design, manufacture and testing of cells, how the cells are arranged in the battery and the venting mechanism need to be thought of before actually manufacturing a battery," Aramane said.

Also read:

EV fire: Electric scooter goes up in flames in fourth incident involving Okinawa

He said EV companies — more than 40 in India's ecosystem — must consult battery manufacturers and work with regulators for better standards. He said the government has strengthened the committee looking into the EV fires and will soon issue guidelines to ensure consumer safety without affecting innovation.

Aramane said testing agencies are currently not under the scanner — only the testing standards. "I don't have any problem with the testing agencies; they are managed by professionals. Testing standards have to be strengthened and manufacturing processes also have to be looked at closely. Only then will we be able to tell in which aspects the companies must act," he said.

He said the government has asked EV manufacturers to strengthen their R&D teams. "Action will be taken and heavy penalties imposed if products are found faulty," Aramane said, adding that regulation will be intensified on product quality and that the government is not intent on micromanaging EV companies.

Also read: All electric vehicle fire incidents will be probed: Transport Secy

He said companies have voluntarily come forward to recall faulty vehicles after the government advised them to take steps. "It was general advice — if you find find any defects in battery design and if there is a chance that your vehicle may face problems, refrain from any further sale or launch of those batches," Aramane said.

Of crucial importance, Aramane said, is that the supply chain responsible for faulty cells be identified. "I am not looking at any particular geography. If a particular vehicle has caught fire, where did the company procure these cells? Where was the battery manufactured? And who has conducted tests on the battery; what is the procedure adopted? In fact the chain of manufacturing each vehicle must be traceable," he said.

He said it was the duty of the manufacturer to ensure an EV doesn't catch fire even in the most extreme use-case. "Even if there is excessive charging or mechanical damage, the battery shouldn't explode," he said.

Also read: Log9 Materials partners with Indeanta Ventures for rapid-charging battery technology

First Published:May 2, 2022 7:43 PM IST