Amidst the rising number of electric vehicle fire incidents, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that government will take strict action against any electric vehicle company which is found to be negligent against passengers’ safety.
Condoling the EV fire incidents that took several lives Gadkari, in a series of tweets said, “We have constituted an expert committee to enquire into these incidents and make recommendations on remedial steps. Based on the reports, we will issue necessary orders to the defaulting companies. We will soon issue quality-centric guidelines for electric vehicles.”
“If any company is found negligent in their processes, a heavy penalty will be imposed and a recall of defective vehicles will also be ordered, “ he added.
On Thursday, India’s think-tank also introduced a draft battery swapping policy. The policy seeks a level playing field across business models involving the sale of EVs with fixed or swappable batteries. The draft policy also proposes that demand side incentives offered under existing or new schemes for EV purchase can be made available to EVs with swappable batteries eligible under this policy. "The size of the incentive could be determined based on the kWh rating of the battery and compatible EV," it suggested.
Notably, over the past four weeks, six EV explosion incidents have taken place, with the latest being on Tuesday, which claimed the life of an 80-year-old man.
