Indian electric scooter maker Okinawa Autotech has launched a recall after concerns the lithium-ion batteries in their Praise Pro scooters have caused a fatal fire.
The recall affects around 3,215 batteries and follows a spate of electric scooters catching fire in India.
A Praise Pro caught fire while charging, resulting in the death of a man and his 13-year-old daughter in the city of Vellore on 26 March, reported by the newspaper Economic Times of India (ETI).
The newspaper stated that at least six incidents of two-wheeler electric vehicles catching fire have been reported in the past two months, with the latest one in Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, on 11 April involving a scooter made by Okinawa.
The start-up makes electric two-wheelers, and has a portfolio of three low-speed and four high-speed scooters, with an electric motorcycle to be launched soon.
The company said this recall was part of its comprehensive power pack health check-up, with batteries being checked for loose connectors or any damage and would be repaired free of charge at any of the Okinawa authorised dealers pan-India, reported news outlet Express Drives.
The company had not replied to BEST at the time of publication.
Scooter battery fires
On April 9, 20 brand new Jitendra electric scooters—loaded in a container in Nashik, Maharashtra— caught fire; other vehicles involved in fires include Ola Electric and Pure EV, reported ETI.
An Indian government-appointed team— including the Indian Institute of Science (IISC) and Centre for Fire Explosives and Environment Safety— is investigating the accidents in Vellore, Pune, Trichy and Nashik.
