GOING UP IN FLAMES

A MAJOR WORRY FOR EV OWNERS IS THE RISK OF THE BATTERY CATCHING FIRE. WITH RECENT REPORTS OF SOME ELECTRIC SCOOTERS COMBUSTING, THIS PROBLEM IS NOW FRONT AND CENTRE

- YOGENDRA PRATAP

In my 25 years as an automotive jour­nalist, there have been a couple of products that have been described as revolutionary. The first was one that set out to offer two-wheeler buyers and owners a safer and more com­fortable mode of transport—spark­ ing fears that the existing infrastructure would not be able to cope with the coming deluge of this proletar­ian four wheeler. It didn’t happen. Despite starting with a production capacity of 250,000 cars per year, production delays and perception problems meant sales did not touch even half that number—monthly sales peaked at about 10,000 cars. Then multiple reports of this car catching fire were the final nail in the coffin of this first mobility revolution as prospective buyers became reluctant to abandon their bikes and scoo­ters for this attractively priced car.