JOIN USBattery defects caused EV fires, DRDO says: Report
Defects in batteries, including in the design of battery packs and modules, was the cause of the recent spate of electric vehicle fires across India.
The defects may have crept in due to companies intentionally using lower-grade materials to cut costs, the Business Standard reported, citing a yet-unreleased report by the Defence Research & Development Organisation.
“It can be said the incidents were a result of the low quality of battery cells and lack of enough testing of battery packs under various temperatures,” a person who has seen the report told the publication. He said the Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES) has suggested strengthening the regulations for EV manufacturers as early as possible.
The CFEES is also believed to have suggested a system for surprise checks and audits to ensure that companies conform to the standards during mass manufacturing, the report added. “Though the batteries were approved by regulatory agencies, there is no system now to ensure that all vehicles conform to the quality benchmarks,” the person who saw the report said.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had in March asked the CFEES — the fire science and engineering arm of DRDO — to investigate the circumstances that caused the incidents, after an Ola scooter caught on fire in Pune.
A senior road ministry official confirmed to the publication that the report had been received and the findings will be shared with EV makers. “We can make a public statement or take any action only after they respond,” the official said. The ministry has already sought detailed information on safety mechanisms and quality standards being adopted by EV makers.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari in April said companies found negligent in implementing safety standards will be penalised and a recall of all defective vehicles will be ordered.
From January 2023, India will make it mandatory for EV makers to comply with a new set of safety standards called AIS-156, which are more stringent than the AIS-048 standards currently in force, the report said.
The AIS-156 enforces higher standards for all tests, such as those for short circuits, overcharging, vibration, shock, and nail penetration. It also includes a fire resistance test, which subjects the battery to a direct flame for 70 seconds.