Recently, a Mahindra BE 6 electric vehicle caught fire in Gulaothi town in Uttar Pradesh, India. A video of the incident went viral on social media, raising concerns about the reliability and safety of made-in-India electric vehicles. In response, Mahindra addressed the incident and shared details explaining what led to the fire and the findings from its investigation.
Mahindra confirms cause of fire
According to the automaker, the primary cause of the fire was a completely deflated right rear tyre. Mahindra said its conclusion is based on a detailed site investigation, onboard sensor data, and software diagnostics.
Deflated tyre led to excessive heat build-up
In its official statement, Mahindra explained that the vehicle was driven for more than 10 minutes at a speed of around 60 kmph on a fully deflated rear right tyre.
The company stated that driving on the deflated tyre caused intense thermal stress due to excessive friction between the damaged tyre and the road surface. This excessive heat generation ultimately led to the fire.
Vehicle safety systems activated automatically
Mahindra further revealed that during the incident, the vehicle issued a tyre high-temperature alert, following which protective safety measures were automatically activated.
These measures limited the vehicle’s speed and eventually shut down the system, bringing the car to a complete halt.
ESP and TCS systems functioned as intended
The automaker noted that onboard sensor data showed that the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Traction Control System (TCS) were actively working to control wheel spin during the incident.
Battery and motor remained unaffected
Mahindra confirmed that the high-voltage battery and electric motor were fully intact and unaffected by the fire. The company added that battery health parameters, including individual cell voltages, remained within specified limits.
Findings supported by video evidence
The company also stated that the above findings were corroborated by an analysis of bystander video footage captured during the incident.
