Ather Energy, Ola Electric see drop in EV 2-wheeler sales in July

NEW DELHI: Hero Electric has piped Okinawa Autotech, Ola Electric and Ather Energy in selling maximum number of EV two-wheelers in the month of July, with Ather Energy and Ola Electric suffering biggest drop as customers delay purchasing EVs amid battery fire incidents and government probes.

According to the latest VAHAN data, Ather Energy sold a mere 1,095 EV two-wheelers (till July 30) from 3,829 in June, registering the biggest drop among the EV manufacturers.

The Bhavish Aggarwal-run Ola Electric sold 3,690 vehicles (till July 30), a significant drop from 5,891 vehicles in the month of June. The company has sold 45,698 vehicles to date this year.

At its peak, before the fire episodes rocked the nation, Ola Electric had sold 12,705 EVs in April and 9,258 in May.

Hero Electric led the EV two-wheeler market in the country with registration of 8,474 vehicles, up from 6,504 in June.

It has sold 52,559 vehicles this year, indicating an uptick in its vehicles.

Okinawa was second with selling 7,717 EV 2-wheelers in July, up from 6,984 it sold in June. The company has so far sold 54,835 EVs this year (till July 30).

Ampere Vehicles Pvt Ltd which sold 6,542 vehicles in June saw a drop in July to 5,980 vehicles, with a total tally of 39,769 sold this year, according to the VAHAN data.

Last month, Ola Electric said they were prepared to see the impact of supply chain constraints, especially on cell shortage.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari last week told Parliament that all those EV two-wheelers companies have been served show-cause notices whose vehicles caught fire owing to battery issues.

He said that the Ministry had constituted a committee of experts to suggest safety standards for batteries, battery components, and related systems.

Based on the information of fire incidents available, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a show-cause notice to the CEOs and MDs of the concerned two wheeler electric scooter manufacturers, to explain the reasons as to why the relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act should not be invoked against them.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which comes under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, said this week that it issued notices to four to five EV two-wheeler makers in the light of several complaints raised by the consumers over battery explosions and fire incidents.

The CCPA received several complaints from the EV two-wheeler buyers.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has also been informed. A DRDO probe had revealed defects in battery cells as well as battery design in nearly all EV fires.