Amidst multiple fire incidents involving EV scooters being reported lately, the road transport ministry of India is coming down heavily on delinquent electric vehicle manufacturers. A few weeks back, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highway, Nitin Gadkari even warned these Electric Vehicle manufacturers. After his warning, that he would penalize EV makers, many EV makers recalled nearly 7,000 scooters. According to some reports, Nitin Gadkari’s ministry has requested EV companies from launching new electric scooters and bikes this year until the cause of fires is established and resolved.
According to a report by the Economic Times, an anonymous source said, “EV makers have also been verbally dissuaded from launching new vehicles until clarity about the cause of fires and steps required to stop them have been firmed up.” However, the ministry later clarified that it has issued no such instructions to electric two-wheeler manufacturers. Previously, the Union Road Transport and Highway Minister had come down heavily on EV brands after several incidents of electric scooters catching fire had emerged. In some incidents, owners of the electric scooters lost their lives, too.