Electric scooter maker Okinawa's EV dealership burnt to ashes due to short-circuit

An entire Okinawa Autotech dealership was burnt down to ashes in Tamil Nadu owing to a reported fire in the e-scooter maker's showroom due to a possible short circuit. No casualties were reported and the fire was put out with the help of locals, but the entire showroom was gutted. Although not directly linked to scooters catching fire, this was the sixth EV fire incident since the onset of summer this year.

The Electric two-wheeler manufacturer had recalled 3,215 units of its ‘Praise Pro’ scooters on April 16, just before the dealership was engulfed in flames in Tamil Nadu. The EV maker was yet to make an official statement on the latest EV fire at its dealership. However, in a short message, the company has said that dealership has confirmed the fire due to short circuit.

While recalling 'Praise Pro' e-scooters, Okinawa Autotech had said that this voluntary campaign is "in the wake of the recent thermal incident and in line with the company`s long-standing commitment to customer safety."

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According to the company, the recall has been initiated to fix "any issue" related to batteries. "The batteries will be checked for loose connectors or any damage and be repaired free of charge at any of the Okinawa authorised dealerships pan India," the company said.

On March 26, a father-daughter duo died due to a blast in the battery of their Okinawa scooter which was being charged at their home. Late last month, a blue-coloured Ola S1 Pro e-scooter that was parked on the side of the road in Pune caught fire. The scooter burst into flames which soon engulfed the entire vehicle.

As more and more electric two-wheelers catch fire in the country, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant last week asked EV original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to voluntarily recall batches involved in the EV fire incidents.

Several electric two-wheelers belonging to Jitendra Electric Vehicles caught fire in Nashik on April 9. The government has called technical teams of Ola Electric and Okinawa Scooter for an explanation on recent fires in their EVs.

(With inputs from IANS)

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