Electric vehicles are catching fire in India
This has been the hottest sensational news in my place recently. There have been several incidents where electric vehicles are catching fire. People share different thoughts and different opinions on this topic and some are also going straight against the EV industry itself. I would like to share my thoughts on this topic as I have also booked my Electric vehicle and I'm going to be using it every day for my commute. This is the most welcoming technology but we should also know how to use this technology. At least the basics we should be familiar with.
There are several reasons why an electric vehicle can catch fire. But before we get into that, we have to all understand that the risk is applicable even for ordinary fossil fuel-based vehicles as well. It is not that electric vehicles alone have this problem. Some people say that electric vehicle batteries burst out but normal fuel-based vehicles will only burn in the case of disaster. That can be a small possibility.
We had an incident recently in Tamilnadu where a father and a daughter died while they were charging their batteries overnight. I had this incident about a year back where my mobile phone caught fire while charging. That is definitely a possibility when we overcharge and also if there is too much load already on the battery. When we are using electric vehicles we have to make sure we follow some basic principles. Starting from purchasing the vehicle till we maintain the vehicle there should be many things to be followed. I would like to highlight some of the possibilities for electric vehicles to catch fire.
Overcharging
Any electronic device should not be overcharged. The battery will not be able to withstand the overcharging effect. This is one of the biggest reasons why these types of disasters happen. It is better to schedule timing for charging and charge only during that time. Make sure the charging port is away from human access and also in an open area where there is enough ventilation. Avoid charging overnight. This is applicable not only to our Electric vehicle batteries but also to our mobile devices as well.
Overheating
Overheating of the battery is another issue when it comes to electric vehicles. Unline normal bikes and cars, we cannot have or we do not have any coolant available for our electric vehicle motors and batteries. That technology is still a few years far away and some experts even think that it is no longer necessary.
Some experts think that weather condition also matters when it comes to batteries. Some batteries are designed for cooler environments but we use them in extremely hot climates. It is better to check the battery temperature and give it some time to cool down a little bit by not using it. This is similar to our mobile phones only. We all know that overheating can make our mobile phones catch fire because the microchips inside the phone are also sensitive. The same applies to laptops and other electronic devices. It is better to handle the overheating issues.
Exposure to water and short circuit
This is another reason why electric vehicles can catch fire easily. When the electronic components are exposed to water and if there is already a short circuit, charging them can again cause damage and make it burst out. It is important to regularly check if the battery or the motor is exposed to water or not. Sometimes there can be a leader in the waterproof seal that can cause this issue.
Battery end of life
People might keep using batteries that have already reached the end of life. It is very important to check the life of the batteries regularly. The shape of the battery itself is a big indication to tell us whether the battery is healthy or not. If you see your battery growing in size, it is definitely reaching the end of life or already reaching the end of life. It is better to contact the service provider and get it fixed. Bulge batteries can burst out anytime. It is better to be careful.
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