E-vehicle catches fire: Karnataka consumer court orders Rs 1.48 lakh compensation
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Bengaluru: A consumer court in Karnataka ordered an electric vehicle manufacturer to pay a hefty compensation of Rs 1.48 lakh after a woman's two-wheeler caught fire while parked.
The Dharwad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissioner on August 12 ordered Pure Energy Private Limited to pay the compensation as the two-wheeler was allegedly defective with a faulty battery and caught fire outside the complainant’s house.
Eshappa K Bhute, president of the forum, said in the order: “We hold the manufacturer responsible for selling defective vehicles. The complainant, being a woman, had purchased the vehicle with the fond hope of using the same for her better convenience but instead of any convenience or good results, she has suffered a lot by purchasing the vehicle. In our view, it is a glaring example of manufacturing defects therefore the manufacturer alone is liable to answer the claim of the complainant.”
The company has to pay the complainant Mangala the price of the vehicle Rs 88,999 alongside Rs 50,000 as compensation for mental agony and inconvenience she underwent and Rs10,000 for legal costs.
A resident of Dharwad, Mangala bought EPluto-7G by paying Rs 88,999 on February 14, 2022, having a warranty for 36 months or a distance of 30,000 km.
On December 26, 2022 the battery went off and the vehicle stopped as she was riding it. After she complained to the dealer, the batter was replaced but it did not work even for a month.
When she complained to the dealer again, the battery was sent to the manufacturer for verification and more than three months later she received the battery on April 25, 2023. She was advised to use the vehicle only in the city. On August 8, 2023, the two-wheeler caught fire as it was parked outside her residence.
Following her complaint, the dealer collected the vehicle and sent it to the manufacturer. She received no response from the manufacturer.