Explained: Why do electric bikes catch fire?

Hyderabad: The Secunderabad inferno where eight people died and seven were injured at Ruby Motors and Ruby Lodge has raised multiple questions. There were 40 bikes in the cellar which were being charged when the fire started. The fire department is yet to reveal if the fire started from the bike point or near the generator.

Why are bikes vulnerable?

One of the reasons is the body of the bike. It is made of plastic fibre material due to which it is highly inflammable. There is minimal use of steel and the body of the bike has an appealing look as plastic fibre can be moulded easily. Due to this reason the plastic fibre component is high.

Who checks and authenticates the bikes?

There are rules still being framed at the Central government level for the body of the bikes. According to sources in Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation, the enforcement rules and specifications for the material and body of the bikes is being looked into. The accidents during summer 2022 in factories at Pune and other parts of India created a furore but the guidelines are yet to be formulated.

For testing the batteries, the government centre for authentication and certification is in Pune. All the manufacturers have to get the batteries tested there.

There is still no standardisation of battery components and due to this, there are variations and the battery combinations are not in sync with the fluctuating temperatures of different parts of India.

Huge demand for bikes

The demand for electric bikes has increased tremendously since petrol/diesel prices have increased in the country. Bike showrooms are now in every nook and corner of the city. With the sale increasing, is safety being overlooked? It is not just a plug-and-play mechanism as there are many safety aspects that need to be looked into.

Who is in charge of safety?

Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation states that they are to create awareness about the different renewable energy forms available in the state.

The transport department is in charge of the enforcement of quality and safety while vehicle showrooms and their maintenance are to be handled by local municipal authorities and the individual charging points at the showroom level have to be carried out by the manufacturers supplying the bikes.

With three different sectors monitoring EVs, who is in charge of the safety aspect? For now, it is on individuals or owners who operate the EV. It is for them to learn, educate, and understand the new emerging technology for their own safety.

Secunderabad Inferno: The building was used for mixed occupancy.

The major fire broke out at Ruby Pride Luxury Hotel in Secunderabad following a supposed explosion of electrical batteries in an e-bike showroom located on the ground floor of the building.

The building comprises of 5 floors with 28 rooms in the hotel. There were 25 occupants in the hotel when the blaze engulfed the building (which is located close to the passport office Secunderabad).

It is suspected that either e-bike or a generator placed in the Ruby Motor Showroom exploded leading to the fire. The Ruby hotel and GEMOPAL Electrical Scooters is run by Rajender Singh Buggs, Sumeet Singh and brothers. They have been 'illegally' running the electrical scooters in the cellar of the same building.