**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer to a parliamentary question (No. 1618) regarding fire incidents involving electric vehicles in India. It provides data on accidents involving EVs from 2023-2025, including fire incidents. It also details actions taken to determine the root causes of these incidents and the subsequent amendments to safety standards implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Accident and Fire Incident Data:**
* A total of 23,865 accidents involving electric vehicles were recorded between 2023-2025.
* 26 accidents involving fire in electric vehicles were reported during the same period.
* The number of accidents involving electric vehicles and fire incidents increased year over year from 2023 to 2025.
* 2023: 5,594 accidents involving Electric Vehicles and 8 Electric Vehicle Fires
* 2024: 7,817 accidents involving Electric Vehicles and 9 Electric Vehicle Fires
* 2025: 10,454 accidents involving Electric Vehicles and 9 Electric Vehicle Fires
* **Investigation and Safety Standard Amendments:**
* MoRTH constituted an investigating team of experts to determine the root causes of fire incidents.
* Based on the team's recommendations, the government implemented safety standard amendments.
* MoRTH has brought amendment to the Automotive Industry Standards, AIS:156 and AIS:038 (Rev 2) to prescribe Technical Requirements for Traction Battery of L, M and N Category of Electric Power Train Vehicles.
* These amendments are applicable from 01.12.2022.
* **Conformity of Production (COP):**
* MoRTH issued a notification dated 19.12.2022 for Conformity of Production (COP) requirements for all categories of electric vehicles.
* **Government Stance on EV Production:**
* The government does not intend to stop the manufacture or use of electric vehicles.
* The government aims to strengthen the safety ecosystem for EVs through rigorous testing and regulatory oversight.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** Electric Vehicle Manufacturers
* **Impact:**
* Manufacturers need to comply with the amended Automotive Industry Standards (AIS:156 and AIS:038 (Rev 2)).
* Manufacturers must adhere to Conformity of Production (COP) requirements as per the notification dated 19.12.2022.
* **Action Required:**
* Update manufacturing processes to meet new safety standards.
* Ensure compliance with COP requirements.
**Stakeholder:** Electric Vehicle Consumers
* **Impact:**
* Potentially safer vehicles due to enhanced safety standards.
* **Action Required:**
* None specified in the document.
**Stakeholder:** Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI)
* **Impact:**
* No study carried out by the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI).
* **Action Required:**
* None specified in the document.
**Stakeholder:** Government
* **Impact:**
* To support the use and manufacture of Electric Vehicles.
* **Action Required:**
* Continue to promote adoption to meet greenhouse gas mitigation targets and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH): Primary entity responsible for road safety and automotive standards, including those for electric vehicles; implemented the eDAR portal for accident monitoring.
Automotive Industry Standards (AIS): Standards amended by MoRTH to improve safety requirements for electric vehicles, specifically AIS:156 and AIS:038 (Rev 2)
Electric Vehicles (EVs): Subject of the policy; focus on fire incidents and safety standards.
eDAR (Electronic Detailed Accident Report): Portal implemented by MoRTH to monitor road accidents, including those involving electric vehicles; captures data on electric vehicle accidents and fire incidents.
Ministry of Heavy Industries: Addressee of the question related to electric vehicle safety.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1618
ANSWERED ON 10.02.2026
FIRE PRUNE ELECTRICAL VEHICLES
1618. SHRI ANIL YESHWANT DESAI:
Will the Minister of HEAVY INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is not a fact that there are a large number of fire incidents in Electric Vehicles (EVs) in
the recent past, if so, the number of such fire incidents in the country during the last three years;
(b) the root cause for these incidents along with the outcome of investigation done by the Government
and industry experts;
(c) whether such fire incidents are common in EVs in other countries also; and
(d) whether it is not desirable to stop its manufacture and use in our country taking into account the
loss of lives due to fire incidents?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEAVY INDUSTRIES
(SHRI BHUPATHIRAJU SRINIVASA VARMA)
(a): The Government is cognizant of fire incidents involving electric vehicles. While specific,
centralized data solely tracking battery-fire incidents across the country is not available, the Ministry
of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has implemented the eDAR (Electronic Detailed Accident
Report) portal to monitor road accidents. As per data available on the eDAR portal, which began
capturing a dedicated field for Motorized Electric Vehicles from 14.11.2022 onwards, a total of 23,865
accidents involving electric vehicles have been recorded across various States over the last three years,
as detailed in the table below. Of these, 26 incidents involving fire in electric vehicles have been
reported across various States during the same period, as indicated below.
Sr. Year Number of Accidents Number of Accidents Involving Fire in
No. Involving Electric Vehicles Electric Vehicles
1 2023 5,594 8
2 2024 7,817 9
3 2025 10,454 9
Total 23,865 26
(b): To determine the root causes of these incidents, MoRTH constituted an investigating team of
independent experts from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Indian
Institute of Science (IISC) Bengaluru, and the Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL)
Visakhapatnam. Based on the recommendations of this committee and a subsequent committee of
experts, the Government implemented the following outcomes:
(i) Safety Standard Amendments: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) had
constituted a committee of experts to suggest the formulation of safety standards for the battery and
its components, as well as BMS and related systems in electric vehicles. Based on the recommendation
of the committee, MoRTH vide S.O. 4567 (E) dated 28.09.2022 has brought amendment to the
Automotive Industry Standards, AIS:156 [Specific requirements for L (a motor vehicle less than four
wheels and quadricycle) category electric power train vehicles] and AIS:038 (Rev 2) [Specific
Requirements for M Category, (a motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying passenger)-2-
N Category (a motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying goods) Electric Power Train
Vehicles] to prescribe Technical Requirements for Traction Battery of L, M and N Category of Electric
Power Train Vehicles. The said Amendments are applicable from 01.12.2022.
(ii) Conformity of Production (COP): MoRTH had issued a notification, vide G.S.R 888(E) dated
19.12.2022, for the requirements of Conformity of Production (COP), in respect of all categories of
Electric vehicles including Quadricycles, E-rickshaws, two wheelers and four wheelers.
(c): No such study has been carried out by the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI).
(d): The Government has no proposal or intention to stop the manufacture or use of electric vehicles
in the country. Instead of halting production, the Government’s strategy is to strengthen the safety
ecosystem through more rigorous testing standards and regulatory oversight while continuing to
promote adoption to meet greenhouse gas mitigation targets and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.
*******