Why Safety Should Be Paramount For Electric Two-Wheelers Manufacturers

Electric vehicle industry is one of the most dynamic industries in today’s time. Globally this industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 26.8 per cent. India is already showing the early trends of a massive shift towards electric vehicles. Even the Government with its plans like National Electric Mobility Mission and policies on subsidies like Fame II and on Battery Swapping is ensuring the transition of mobility from conventional to electric at a faster pace. 

Concerns about electric bike’s safety have been raised by a few incidents of fires tarnishing customer confidence. Due to this growth in Electric Vehicle industry specifically, the two-wheeler segment observed a momentary slowdown. 

India in the EV race is a late entrant, we are still in the evolution stage. For us, safety is a recent and prime area of concern but globally in this industry safety has been a concern for a while for manufacturers as well as users. It has been observed that the electric bikes from reputed brands were also catching fire and causing mishaps. Another factor which might have caused this is the steep growth curve which India as an evolving market has covered. 

The electric vehicle market is becoming more competitive, particularly in the two-wheeler category. Due to rising petrol and diesel costs as well as state and central government subsidies, electric scooters are becoming more popular. Brands in the race to reach the top are pacing up the production, delivery times are becoming increasingly unreasonable.  Manufacturers are also introducing "segment-first" features to cut through the competition. 

Why EV Industry is receiving so much attention?

Going electric is not only the need of the hour for our country but it’s a global necessity. There are multiple factors due to which even our government is revolutionising the whole transportation industry and creating an ecosystem for the EV industry to proliferate.

1. As per the projections by the Centre for Science and Environment, India’s carbon dioxide emission is expected to touch 4.48 Gt by 2030. There is a mounting fear that global temperatures may cross 1.5°C by the early 2030s, with the Inter-Government Panel on Climate Change deeming the situation as Code Red. Presently, the transportation industry remains the nation’s third-highest contributor to the alarming situation with its level of CO₂ emissions.

2. EV has a huge role to play in achieving the goal of sustainable living due to its lesser dependency on our fossil fuel reserve which is depleting day by day.

3. The Government also has recognized the role of EVs in sustainability and is providing a host of initiatives to encourage potential buyers, as well as auto manufacturers. Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles, (FAME II) Scheme has been launched to accelerate the rate of EV adoption in the country.

4. Future of EVs has to be through a renewable source of energy which will give us a better life to live and the government is rigorously working in this direction.

Measures need to be adopted to deal with the heating of batteries

It has been observed through a series of incidents that battery-related issues are the major problem with electric scooters and bikes. Lithium-ion batteries generally catch fire due to a short circuit in one or more battery cells. The heat ignites the chemicals in the battery and the neighbouring cell, allowing the fire to spread quickly. India's hot and humid climate even leads to more instances of batteries catching fire. 

Therefore, Indian EV manufacturers should adopt certain measures to prevent batteries from catching fire. Some of them are

1. Electric bike manufacturers should use liquid cooling technology to keep the battery at a safe operating temperature.

2. Tesla puts an additional aluminium plate between the battery pack and the passenger compartment. Indian manufacturers can use this technique to lessen the probability of injuries. 

3. Indian EV manufacturers may also adopt solid-state battery technology to ensure the safety of its citizens. For example, this mechanism is used by famous EV manufacturers such as Tesla, BYD, BMW, etc., 

4. Electric car batteries must be subjected to more rigorous testing to ensure that they are free of defects due to India's extreme heat and humidity

Things to keep in mind to make your electric scooter safe

1. Check your electric scooter regularly or get it serviced by a qualified professional. 

2. Do not leave your electric scooter in the sun or rain; instead, keep it in the shade. 

3. It's best to avoid using your electric scooter or electric bike excessively in hot weather by riding them normally whenever feasible.

4. Avoid allowing it to charge overnight while you're away from home to prevent damage to the device.

5. Do not use spurious chargers/ spare parts to recharge the batteries of electric bikes.

6. When charging your electric scooter or bike, please keep it away from anything flammable or hot.

Electric Vehicles help in cutting down environmental pollution and offering sustainable living, in harmony with our ecosystem. Also, EV cuts down the running expenses drastically. If we specifically consider the Electric 2-Wheeler segment, it is revolutionising the economy of the masses in tier II and tier III cities of our country by saving them approx. Rs. 4000 each household every month (basis their daily running needs). 

The safety of electric vehicles and the transition to electric mobility will benefit not just benefit an individual, a state or a country but this will bring a revolution at the global level, hence safety of the electric vehicle is prime and we are relentlessly working towards shifting the paradigm from conventional mobility to electric mobility in India.

Sushant Kumar

Guest Author The Author is the Founder and Managing Director of Amo Mobility