A worrying trend of electric vehicles catching fire has come up in India. In 2024 there were more than 7,500 accidents involving electric vehicles across the country, which is a big jump from around 4,300 in 2022, according to government data. With EV sales soaring—reaching 7.8% market penetration in FY 2024-25, up from under 1% in 201, a big question arises: Are these vehicles safe for India’s roads? And more importantly, can new battery intelligence technology stop these fires before they become a major problem?
EV Fires: An Indian Perspective
While electric vehicle fires happen in many places the conditions in India make them more likely.
Summer temperatures often exceed 40 degrees Celsius and vehicles travel on dusty and humid roads. The quality of manufacturing also varies widely. Two-wheelers and three-wheelers the most common types of electric vehicles in India face tough conditions like constant vibrations, rough handling and using parts that are sometimes not up to standard.
The main problem is with the lithium-ion batteries which are complex but sensitive. When something goes wrong, a process called thermal runaway can happen. This is when too hot cells let out flammable gases that can set off fires in nearby cells. Temperatures can go beyond 600 degrees Celsius, leading to smoke, flames or explosions.
What makes thermal runaway happen?
- Mechanical damage: Cells can become unstable even after a tiny hit. Genwei Wang and others completed a study showing that an axial displacement of just 2.3 mm can cause batteries with a lot of charge to fail altogether.
- Environmental stress: Heat makes chemical reactions happen faster. Moisture can hurt cells and dust might block cooling vents.
- Bad cooling systems: Lack of ventilation and poor materials are all design flaws that make things more dangerous.
- BMS: Many cheap electric cars have these. Battery Management Systems (BMS) don’t always notice changes in voltage or temperature in real time.
- User negligence: Using chargers that aren’t allowed or ignoring signs of swelling makes things more dangerous.
The result is a loss of public trust. In addition to concerns about range people are now worried about fires. Buyers are hesitant, investors are cautious and car makers face recalls. Without action, this could affect the growth of electric vehicles in India.
Can Battery Intelligence Help? It looks promising. Battery intelligence uses smart technologies like AI and machine learning to spot issues before they become serious. It’s like giving a battery a brain that can detect problems early on.
Standard BMS systems were made for monitoring, not predicting. They track voltage, current, and temperature only on the surface. By the time a sensor detects a problem, it’s often too late. Imagine a scooter battery overheating during charging. A traditional BMS may only notice a problem once it reaches a critical point, at which point thermal runaway may be unavoidable.
Battery Intelligence: A Game-Changer for Safety
That is where Battery Intelligence comes in. It’s like giving batteries a brain. It employs IoT sensors, AI machine learning and cloud analytics to find small problems before they get worse.
- Granular Monitoring: It monitors the health of each cell’s voltage, current, temperature, and even vibrations in real time, picking up on problems that a basic BMS could miss.
- Predictive Power: AI models look at patterns to find early warning indicators such as small voltage changes strange vibrations or abnormal charging behaviour. They then forecast dangers like lithium plating (metal buildup that causes short circuits), thermal runaway, or cell degradation.
- Smart Responses: The system can change the cooling, send alarms, or stop the batteries before the problem gets worse. It may also monitor adjacent areas to fix issues in the coolant systems of big cars.
- Fleet Insights: Large operators can receive early warnings for thousands of vehicles, avoiding costly breakdowns and ensuring driver safety.
Instead of dealing with problems after they happen Battery Intelligence can stop them before they start.
Picture your EV app sending you a message that says “Cell 5 is out of balance—service now.” Or a fleet manager getting a dashboard notice about a dozen scooters that are in danger which saves time and money. This tech is a lifeline in India tackling local challenges like extreme heat or dust-clogged vents. It can dynamically boost cooling or flag degradation early, slashing fire risks during charging—a common trigger. It also makes the battery last longer, which lowers the cost per kilometre and the total cost of ownership.
A Homegrown Example: iRasus Technologies
iRasus Technologies is an Indian startup in Gurgaon that is working on this. Their AI-powered technology monitors each battery cell in real time keeping track of temperature, charge cycles and degradation to find problems early. Their prediction models can tell you about risks like thermal runaway days before they happen. Cloud dashboards enable electric vehicle (EV) producers and fleet managers to receive real-time information about multiple battery packs; immediate warnings let them take action immediately. This mix of visibility and foresight helps reduce fire risks and extend battery life making ownership cheaper. It illustrates that India doesn’t have to look outside the country for answers to its EV fire problem. Local companies are already creating tools tailored to India’s unique conditions.
Beyond Safety: The Bigger Picture
Battery intelligence is more than just avoiding fires; it helps create a better electric vehicle (EV) environment.
By making charging more efficient and lessening deep discharges, it can make batteries last much longer saving fleet operators up to 20-30% on replacement costs. It also brings more transparency: warranties based on real usage insurance rates linked to actual battery condition and used EV markets, helped by clear records of how well a vehicle has performed. These advantages help build trust with buyers, making EVs more attractive and easier to own. Better battery technologies are coming all over the world.
Sodium-ion batteries are cheaper and less likely to overheat, which works well for India’s weather. Oxygen-ion batteries are fire-safe, making them great for storage, while aqueous zinc-ion batteries use water instead of chemicals, removing the risk of fire. Improved designs, like thin separators with protective structures, help stop electrical shorts.
A Multi-Pronged Approach
Battery intelligence needs help to work its best. India’s AIS 156 standard which got stricter after some 2022 fires, now requires tough tests, like putting batteries in open flames. Tighter controls for bringing batteries into the country can keep bad ones from entering the market. Fire suppression technology such as tougher battery housings gas sensors and AI-controlled fire extinguishers makes things even safer. Users also have a part to play: they should only use certified chargers, stay away from extreme temperatures, and pay attention to warning indicators like a swollen battery.
As India’s electric vehicle market expands, battery intelligence will become increasingly important. Smart monitoring devices will be needed to monitor thousands of batteries at growing battery exchange facilities. Smart charging stations can use AI to handle high-use times and avoid overheating. Regulators may soon require predictive monitoring, turning safety from a reactive fix to a proactive measure.
The Road Forward
India’s problem with EV fires is real, but can be solved.
With more EVs being used, we shouldn’t let fear stop progress. Battery intelligence allows us to spot problems early, prevent fires, and protect people. If makers, regulators and innovators like iRasus expand these solutions, we can restore confidence. Imagine India’s roads filled with quiet, clean EVs, no longer worried about fires. It’s possible, but we must act quickly before the next big story hits.