MUMBAI: Hours after the ‘faulty’ battery of an e-scooter manufactured by a Jaipur-based startup Batt:RE was returned to a Vasai dealer by the owner for replacement, it exploded. The battery, under warranty, was not being charged when sparks led to the explosion and a fire. While no one was injured, 15 e-bikes and furniture of the showroom were destroyed.
It is the second case of an e-scooter battery of the same company exploding in Vasai. Last month, a 7-year-old boy died after the battery, being charged, exploded.
While e-scooters in both cases are of the same model, the batteries belong to different companies. Friday’s battery that exploded was manufactured by ‘Inverted company’. The battery that exploded in September was manufactured by ‘Osaka’.
On Friday, sparks in an e-bike battery being charged in a flat in Mazgaon led to a fire that gutted the flat. No injuries were reported.
Friday’s incident took place at Jija EV Care in Vasai (west). Aditi Pai, who had bought LO:EV, an entry level e-scooter, eight months ago, found the battery not charging and the dealers asked her to return it.
“We gave the customer a temporary battery and raised a complaint of replacement with the e-scooter and battery manufacturers,” said Osden Mascarenhas, one of the showroom owners.
Around 7.30 pm, Ashutosh Vartak, another owner, noticed sparks in the battery, kept on a rack. He switched off power supply and rushed out with others before the battery exploded and sparked a fire.
“The e-scooter owner was lucky that the battery did not explode while riding or charging at home,” said Mascarenhas. He said batteries of the same model exploding points to a fault in the Battery Management System, known as the brain of the battery.
The battery was seized by the fire brigade. the Manickpur police station said it will be sent for forensic analysis and officers concerned have been called for questioning.
