The government has asked Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to probe the incident of a Tata Nexon EV catching fire in Vasai West, Mumbai, a few days ago. The organisation was earlier assigned to probe the electric two-wheeler fire incidents by the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry.
Tata Motors is also investigating the cause behind the isolated thermal incident and a detailed investigation is being conducted, the manufacturer said. The vehicle that caught fire was parked outside a restaurant in Mumbai.
The investigation carried out by DRDO had found serious defects in the batteries. The agency mentioned that electric two-wheeler manufacturers like Okinawa Autotech, Pure EV, Jitendra Electric Vehicles, Ola Electric and Boom Motors may have used lower grade materials to cut costs.
After the EV fire incident, Tata Motors had shared an official statement as well. The statement said, “A detailed investigation is currently being conducted to ascertain the facts of the recent isolated thermal incident that is doing the rounds on social media. We will share a detailed response after our complete investigation. We remain committed to the safety of our vehicles and their users. This is the first incident after more than 30,000 EVs have cumulatively covered over 100 million km across the country in nearly 4 years.”
Tata Nexon EV is currently India’s best-selling and most popular EV in India. Just like any other new product, Nexon EV also had minor issues but over the time, Tata has rectified the issues in the vehicle. This is the first time a Nexon EV has caught fire.
Tata Nexon EV was launched in 2020 and ever since then it became a popular choice among buyers. It was found to be a lot more affordable than other options in the market. It was and is still the most affordable electric SUV available on sale in India.
The Nexon EV uses Ziptron technology and is powered by a 30.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The Nexon EV has a maximum certified driving range of 312 km. The electric motor generates 129 Ps and 245 Nm of torque. Tata also launched a long range version of Nexon EV recently. It is known as Nexon EV Max which comes with a 40.5 kWh battery pack and maximum driving range of 437 km.
