8 Dead In Indore EV Charging Fire: Understanding Risks & Precautions For Domestic EV Charging Points-- Here's What You Must NOT Do
· Free Press Journal
Indore (Madhya Pradesh): As many as 8 people died in a tragic fire triggered by a short circuit at EV charging point in Indore. The incident happened at city's Brijeshwari residential colony on early Wednesday morning, during the Electric Vehicle (car) charging.
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The horrific fire has drawn renewed attention to the safety of domestic EV charging setups at our homes, and calls for precautions and higher safety standards.
As India continues to witness a surge in EV (electric vehicle) adoption, more owners are turning to home charging setups using standard household plugs (15A) rather than designated charging stations.
This practice is generally considered safe and is approved by the manufacturers. However, safety importantly depends on the home's electrical setup more than the vehicle.
Built-in Safeguards for EVs
Leading automobile manufacturers in the EV industry usually provide portable chargers designed specifically for 15A household plugs. These portable chargers come with built-in safety measures, including auto cut-offs, temperature monitoring and surge protection for high voltage spikes.
Additionally, EVs are integrated with smart BMS (Battery Management Systems) to regulate safe charging. It prevents overheating and cuts the power flow once the battery is completely charged, making overnight charging a safe option for EV owners.
Factors Affecting EV charging
Despite all the built-in safety measures provided in an EV, the real risk comes with poor home electrical setups. Common factors affecting home EV charging include:
1. Low-quality wiring
Most Indian households, especially older ones, have thin wires (1–1.5 sq mm), raising the chances of overheating. Aluminium wires are also used widely in Indian households, hampering safety further. Avoid low-quality wiring and upgrade your electric infrastructure if you have or planning to buy an Electric Vehicle!
2. Cheap 15A sockets
Local sockets (not branded) are often loose and don't grip tightly. The sockets heat up immediately and can cause melting/burning sockets.
3. Shared circuits
If the circuit shares the load with other electrical equipment, such as a fridge, geyser, or television, it increases the risk of overloading significantly.
4. Poor Earthing
A common problem of poor-earthing can cause mild shocks and can even lead the charger to trip or behave erratically.
5. Use of Extension boards
Using an extension board for charging an EV is a big NO. Even heavy-looking ones aren’t meant for charging EVs at a continuous 2–3 kW load for 8–10 hours.
Minimum Safety Requirements for Home-Charging
Dedicated line from DB (no shared load)
Copper wiring: 2.5 sq mm (min)
15A high-quality tight socket
MCB (16–20A) installed
Proper earthing is a must.
Stable voltage (200–240V)
No extension boards
Dry, covered installation spot
OEM charger (e.g., Tata Motors / Hyundai Motor India / MG Motor India)
Check plug heating occasionally
Wall Chargers vs Household Chargers
Indore Fire: 8 Dead After Short Circuit In EV Charging Point Triggers 10 Gas Cylinders To Explode At Brijeshwari Annexe Colony— Visuals SurfaceHousehold plug VS Wall Chargers
Household plugs are considered safe, but wall chargers (usually at EV charging points) are more reliable and advisable.
Certain factors, such as poor wiring, loose connections, and shared circuits, cannot be overlooked, can compromise the safety of household plugs.
Wall chargers provide relatively good speed while charging (7 kW+), and household plugs are slow (2-3 kW).
However, wall chargers are comparatively costlier than household plugs. Household plugs are usually free, but wall chargers cost around 20k-60k.
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