EV fire: Ola, Okinawa, PureEV, others recall vehicles from market

All the electric vehicle (EV) makers involved in recent fire accidents have recalled their vehicles from the market. Okinawa, PureEV, Ola, Boom Motor and Jitendra EV hav withdrawn their vehicles, government sources told CNBC-TV18.

Boom Motor has recalled its vehicles after an explosion in the battery of the Corbett14 scooter, while Jitendra EV scooters caught fire in a container and had not been sold commercially. Jitendra EV has been asked to rectify their internal safety standards.

The government has appointed expert teams working with all companies to help them improve their quality controls.

Last week, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said that the government plans to impose heavy penalties and mandate recalls if EV companies are found to be negligent, as part of new "quality-centric" rules.

Gadkari had tweeted that the safety of every commuter is a priority for the government. "Several mishaps involving electric two-wheelers have come to light in last two months. If any company is found negligent in their processes, a heavy penalty will be imposed and a recall of all defective vehicles will also be ordered," Gadkari had said.

In recent weeks, there have been close to a dozen cases of e-scooters catching fire or being involved in them, including one made by SoftBank Group-backed Ola Electric, Indian start-ups Okinawa and PureEV.