Ola, Pure EV and Okinawa recall nearly 6,700 electric scooters after Nitin Gadkari’s warning and continued fire accidents

• Electric vehicle companies Ola, Pure EV and Okinawa have announced vehicle recalls in the country.
  
• The three companies have collectively recalled nearly 6,700 scooters.
  
• This recall comes after Nitin Gadkari’s warning to electric companies and the threat of heavy penalties on negligent companies.
  

The spate of electric scooters catching fire, and in some cases, leading to the death or injury of people has drawn the ire of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who warned the errant electric scooter makers of penalties.

Following the warning, Ola, Pure EV and Okinawa – among the few electric scooter makers at the centre of fire accidents – have announced a recall of some of their electric scooters.

Nearly 6,700 scooters recalled

While Ola has recalled 1,441 Ola S1 Pro and Ola S1 electric scooters, Pure EV has recalled 2,000 of its own units. For an industry that is still in its infancy, these recalls hint at a major problem at the heart of it all.

Okinawa has also issued a recall of 3,215 Praise Pro electric scooters. The company has claimed that the recall is part of a “comprehensive powerpack health check-up” and the company will check the batteries for any damage and repair them free of charge.

The recall seems to be a direct result of Gadkari’s warning in response to the various fire accidents involving electric scooters. In some cases, owners of the electric scooters lost their lives, too, with the latest incident involving the death of a man, and serious fire injuries to his wife and two daughters.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways comes under the purview of Nitin Gadkari. Gadkari had announced that an expert committee has been constituted to investigate these incidents and to recommend remedial measures.

The minister had also added that companies found negligent would be penalized and a recall of all defective vehicles would be ordered.

Ola has claimed that while the incident involving its scooter was an isolated event and as a pre-emptive measure, the company is recalling the 1,441 vehicles from the batch to conduct a diagnostic health check.

Pure EV has said that the recalled vehicles will undergo a “thorough check for their health” and they will be inspected for any imbalances.

It is concerning that the companies issued the recall only after a warning from the union minister and highlights the quality control issues in the electric vehicle industry in the country.

The expert committee constituted by the government is yet to issue its findings and recommendations. We hope stringent quality control guidelines are issued to ensure the safety of commuters.

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