EV battery safety is one of the most common questions consumers ask, even though electric mobility has become a major part of the modern Indian lifestyle. Safety reflects consumer confidence, mass adoption, and the reputation of the industry.
EV batteries do have risks like thermal runaway, excessive heat, fire risk, and degradation of performance during Indian weather extremes. Past incidents of battery fires have generated wariness among would-be customers. For instance, in Karnataka alone, 83 EV fire incidents were recorded between 2020 and 2024 (of which 13 were attributed to battery explosions). To address this, the industry needs to reinforce safety at all levels. Starting right from cell chemistry selection to pack design, testing, and after-sales service.
Manufacturing challenges further compound it. Most imported battery cells lack suitability for India’s conditions, including extreme temperatures, dust, and rugged road infrastructure. This makes localization of battery design and strict adherence to AIS-156 and BIS safety standards absolutely critical.
Another essential element is battery management systems, or BMS. A reliable BMS tracks real-time temperature, voltage, and current flow to avoid harmful abnormalities.
But production and design only tell part of the tale. Safety carries over into after-sales services like quick servicing, replacement networks, and remote diagnostics.
The road to safer batteries also involves scaling indigenous R&D. Partnerships with academia, government, and global tech players can accelerate innovations like solid-state batteries and fire-retardant electrolytes. While these may take years to commercialize, interim measures like better thermal management, stronger casing, and localized testing must be prioritized today. In India, EV penetration has increased from ~0.7% in 2019-20 to ~6.8% by 2023-24. That is a ~866% growth in EV manufacturing/registrations over that period.
India’s EV ride is not merely a question of numbers; it’s a question of confidence. While the nation moves toward 30% EV penetration by 2030, currently only ~7.6 % of vehicle sales in 2024 are electric in India. Bridging this gap demands the integration of global-standard manufacturing with localized safety protocols and customer-centric after-sales support.
Ultimately, safer batteries are less an engineering challenge and more the cornerstone to India’s clean mobility future.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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