Three electric scooter fire incidents have been reported in the last few weeks. This has definitely dented their prospects and raised question on their safety…
In a shocking incident, CCTV footage has revealed an explosion that has set ablaze an Okinawa electric scooter and charred it completely.
The incident happened while the scooter was parked inside a garage. The explosion occured while the scooter was set on charge.
Upon being questioned over the possible reasons of the blast, the brand replied that it will investigate the matter by reaching out to the customer soon.
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The latest incident happens to be the third incident in a row. Previously, two electric scooters from Pure EV caught fire and this happened while they were on the roads.
In the case of Okinawa, it is not yet clear whether the explosion occurred due to a fault in the battery or any issue in the charger, or any possible fluctuation in the power supply.
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In the wake of this recent incident of battery explosions, Okinawa has advised some pointers to ensure safe charging of electric vehicles.
Electric Vehicle Charging – Pointers to be Kept in Mind
- Only OEM specific charger should be used for specific battery type for an EV.
- Maintain the batteries at room temperature.
- Never charge the batteries within 1 hrs after use.
- If you find that the battery temperature is rising, or if there is any smell, or any other unusual phenomenon do not use the EV, if possible take out the battery and inform the Service Engineer of the OEM.
- If the battery casing is damaged or Water has entered into it isolate it and inform your dealer.
- When the battery is not used for a long time (more than one month), please remove it and charge the battery to a half-saturated state (after discharging, charge with the charger for 1.5 to 2 hours), and then leave it. Store in a cool and dry room (the optimal temperature is 5 ℃～25 ℃), and charge it for 1.0 hour every three months.
- Do not leave the battery for a long time under minimum charge which is 5%.
- Store the battery and charge in a clean, dry and ventilated place,
- avoid contact of the battery with corrosive substances and keep away from fire and flammable substances,
- Always disconnect the charger from the battery.
- Avoid charging in humid conditions.
At the same time, we expect that the government will introduce proper guidelines and regulations regarding batteries. Also, we believe OEMs should perform thorough quality control of their batteries and EVs before dropping them into the market.
Source: ETAuto
