Okinawa Autotech voluntarily recalled 3,215 units of its Praise Pro electric scooters in a statement last Saturday. Okinawa did this in the light of recent fire incidents involving electric scooters. Autotech gave a statement saying this initiative is a part of the company’s comprehensive power-pack health check-up camps and they did it to check and fix any battery-related issues.
Recently, a viral video of an electric scooter catching fire made the rounds on the internet, and many instances of EVs catching fire have been reported before, including the Ola and Jitendra New EV Tech. Okinawa stated the batteries of the units will be checked for loose connectors or any damage, and they will be repaired free of cost at any Okinawa authorised dealerships across India.
Okinawa has promised and is working closely with its dealers to provide a convenient repair experience, and the vehicle owners will be contacted individually. On April 16, in Tamil Nadu, an incident was reported where a fire broke out in an Okinawa dealership. The source of the fire is speculated to be an electric scooter parked there. No one was found injured in the incident, but the damage to the dealership is yet to be determined.
Following last month’s fire incident involving the Ola scooter, the Indian government ordered an investigation. The Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environmental Safety (CFEES) was asked to investigate the circumstances leading to the fire and measures to avoid similar incidents in the future. The incident regarding the Jitendra New EV Tech took place on April 9 when a container truck caught fire that was transporting the electric scooter near the company’s factory gate in Nashik, Maharashtra.
Last fiscal year, India saw a three-fold increase in the sales of electric vehicles, with two-wheelers leading the pack. 429,417 EVs were sold in 2021–22, compared to 134,821 in 2020–21. And with the increased number of fire cases that could affect the market, Okinawa’s recall could actually be a wonderful relief to ease the minds of potential customers as well as those already owning an EV.
