Consumers concerned about safety & performance of electric scooters: Survey

Fires reported in electric scooters continues to be one of the top concerns of the people. Consumers of various brands have reported fire incidents, which many of the manufacturers attributed to the battery, the survey stated, adding that even though standards are being developed for these vehicles and batteries, the process is time consuming.

After over two dozen e-scooters caught fire between March and April this year, the Centre issued an advisory on April 21, urging EV makers to immediately recall all defective batches of vehicles as a precaution or face a heavy penalty. Subsequently, around 7,000 electric vehicles were recalled.

The government has also set up a committee of experts from the Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES) and Indian Institute of Science to carry out detailed investigation and frame 'quality-centric' guidelines for electric vehicle manufacturers. Its recommendations are still awaited.

The survey found that while there are many people keen to buy e-scooters, which are an attractive alternative to non-electric two-wheelers or crowded public transport, concern over safety and performance are rising. "The fallout of this concern is that just 1 percent of over 11,000 respondents in the survey shared plans of buying an electric scooter in the next six months," it noted.

Responding to a survey question on why they or their family members do not plan to buy an e-scooter in the next 6 months, 5 percent revealed keenness to buy but were not convinced about the infrastructure available for e-scooters, while another 7 percent said they do not have funds for purchasing it.

"Moreover, 32 percent respondents are not convinced about the safety and performance of electric scooters, while 2 percent feel that EVs are a fad that will go away," it said.

The survey also brought out the fact that appetite for e-scooters is not high, as 31 percent households do not drive them and an additional 9 percent shared that they had enough vehicles at home and so had no plans to buy a two-wheeler. With only 1 percent of households in the country considering buying an e-scooter in the next six months, it is critical for the government and industry to win consumer confidence, it said.