A Mahindra BE 6 recently went up in flames. The incident, which took place near Gulaothi in Uttar Pradesh, as per the brand’s social media post, shows the electric SUV on fire on what appears to be a highway. Thankfully, all occupants are reportedly safe. A similar incident involving a Tata Nexon EV happened near Mumbai in June 2022. As per the official statement issued by Mahindra, here is what happened to the BE 6 in question.
- A deflated rear tyre is reportedly the primary culprit
- Mahindra stated that the SUV’s on-board safety systems worked as designed
- It claims that the BE 6 was driven for over 10 minutes with the deflated tyre
Why did this Mahindra BE 6 catch fire?
The automaker claims that the battery pack and electric motor were intact and safe.
The incident was caught on camera by bystanders and shows a red Mahindra BE 6 burning. The culprit was a deflated rear right tyre, claims Mahindra. An investigation by the brand into the incident revealed that the SUV continued to be driven for a period of around 10 minutes at speeds of up to 60kph. This was despite receiving multiple alerts regarding a deflated tyre, which was further accompanied by high tyre temperature indications, Mahindra stated.
While it was still being driven, electronic safety measures such as stability control and traction control were activated multiple times to limit wheel spin due to the deflated tyre. As a precaution, the vehicle’s speed was electronically limited, following which the drive system was completely shut down, bringing the BE 6 to a halt. Mahindra claims to have studied video footage, which pinpointed the rear right tyre as the source of the fire.
The automaker shared that the fire was caused by excessive heat – a result of high friction between the deflated tyre and tarmac. “Despite intense thermal stress originating from an external source, the high-voltage battery remains unharmed and fully functional. Battery health parameters and individual cell voltages are within specified limits, and the motor is intact,” Mahindra’s official statement read.
While the exact variant of the BE 6 involved in this incident is not known, Mahindra’s midsize electric SUV is offered with 59kWh and 79kWh battery pack options. The Mahindra BE 6’s prices range between Rs 19.65 lakh and Rs 27.65 lakh (ex-showroom).
Media credit: Gurpreet Singh Maan via X
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