A vehicle showroom in Mangalore selling Okinawa electric vehicles, has caught fire. This is the second such incident that the OEM had to face in a matter of months. One of the company's retail outlets in Chennai had caught fire earlier.
Several videos being passed on social media show Okinawa's Mangalore showroom up in black smoke. The videos point towards fire engulfing the whole building. The OEM taking note of the incident issued a statement and noted that the fire was caused by a short circuit. 'We are aware of an unfortunate fire incident at one of our showrooms in Mangalore this morning. As stated by the dealer, the fire was caused due to an electric short circuit,' read Okinawa's statement.
It added, 'We are in touch with the dealership and we are extending all the necessary support,' the company said. 'Safety is at the core of Okinawa Autotech and we want to assure that the highest standards of safety are maintained in our dealerships across the country.'
The year 2022 has not been good for the EV OEMs as OLA Electric, Jitendra EV, Okinawa and electric scooters from a couple of more brands have caught fire one after another. Recently a Tata Nexon EV had also caught fire and the centre has ordered a probe around the incident.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), meanwhile, has issued new standards for batteries used in electric vehicles. The agency, keeping in view the safety of the consumers, will also be introducing two more standards related to batteries for various passenger and goods carrying vehicles.
Also Read