)Sales of electric scooters more than doubled this year, but at least for some prospective buyers, the fires are cause to think twice.On Saturday, a video of an Ola e-scooter engulfed in flames went viral online, triggering a rare government probe. A scooter from startup Pure EV also caught ablaze and a burning Okinawa Autotech Pvt bike killed two people. The companies say they are investigating the incidents.Three potential buyers told Reuters they were deferring purchase plans, and dozens posted concerns on social media this week with several saying they were reconsidering whether it was the right time to go electric. "This is a sunrise sector and anything negative is bound to have a detrimental impact," said Randheer Singh, director for electric mobility at government think-tank Niti Aayog. While the incidents are unfortunate, we can't deny the fact that EVs are here to stay and the shift to electric has begun," he said.

Source: Economic Times April 03, 2022 01:11 UTC