The battery of an e-scooter exploded at a shop in south Delhi’s CR Park area, according to reports.
Police said the shop owner was charging the two-wheeler battery when it exploded around 11.45 pm on Tuesday.
They said the shop is owned by Raju Sahu, a resident of Kalkaji.
“He had put the battery of the scooter on charging near an aquarium inside his shop. The battery exploded. No one was injured in the incident,” a police official told IANS.
What causes electric vehicle fires?
Electric vehicle battery packs house vast amounts of energy within a compact space. If these packs sustain damage, they can initiate a dangerous process known as thermal runaway. During thermal runaway, the battery generates excessive heat, overwhelming its ability to dissipate it, ultimately leading to a fire.
Approximately 95% of battery fires fall into the category of ignition fires, producing focused, jet-like flames. The remaining 5% involve vapor cloud explosions.
Battery fires can originate from various factors, including physical damage resulting from collisions, manufacturing defects, battery malfunctions, workshop repairs, deliberate acts of arson, external fires, or overheating.”
How to keep your electric vehicle safe
- Park your electric vehicle in the shade or plug in, so that its thermal management system functions only using grid power, and ensure a stable range of temperatures during operation.
- Use only original and authentic chargers for specific battery types.
- Give attention to the type of battery, as some batteries catch fire quickly. You may have to charge or park them away from flammable items.
- Do not interchange or use any non-genuine charge .
- Do not interchange or use any non-genuine charger.
- Keep batteries at room temperature.
- Please do not charge batteries within one hour after use. It is advisable to let the batteries cool down for some time before charging them.
- If you find the battery casing is damaged or water intrusion has taken place, immediately isolate and store it separately, and inform your dealer.
- If you notice the lithium-ion battery overheating while charging, try moving the device away from flammable materials and cutting off the current supply.
- Periodically check your vehicle batteries.
- Avoid keeping batteries empty or completely full. Keep it between 20-80%
- Only charge fully for long trips
