Blocked by Bluetooth Electric rickshaws are driving green mobility
The Indian government has ordered the removal of three apps that can be used with smartphones to shut down moving vehicles. Now more than 60 per cent of new three-wheelers registered in the country are electric, while the battery-powered car market continues to register record sales.
New Delhi (AsiaNews) – The Indian government has ordered the removal of three apps used to manage the batteries of electric rickshaws after videos show people blocking moving vehicles with their smartphones.
According to government sources cited by the Hindustan Times, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has ordered the removal of the BAT-BMS, Lossigy, and Epoch-i-ion apps, because they can be used to remotely disable electric vehicles.
Designed to monitor the status of lithium batteries during maintenance, these apps use authentication-free Bluetooth systems, allowing anyone within 15 metres from an e-vehicle to connect to the battery and turn off the engine with a single command.
Scores of videos have gone viral on social media, showing young people stopping e-rickshaws in heavy traffic and then filming the surprised reactions of drivers and passengers.
Hindustan Times journalists verified the system's operation with the consent of a driver, effectively disabling a vehicle with their phone.
Drivers reported the problem months ago, but after the videos circulated, it became systematic.
Charu Rajak, who drives in Okhla (New Delhi), has had to cope with the same issue more than a dozen times per day. “I worry that someone will crash into my vehicle from behind mid-traffic,” he said.
The matter is further complicated by the fact that many drivers rent their vehicles daily and don't own a smartphone or know how to restart them.
Meanwhile, electric mobility is growing in India. Electric rickshaws are now one of the main means of transportation in Indian cities, along with scooters.
Their low operating costs compared to traditional gasoline and diesel engines, combined with government incentives, have favoured their widespread adoption, though this has often been accompanied by limited control over the quality of the components.
Rickshaws are driving the electric market. According to government data, more than 60 per cent of new three-wheelers registered in the country are now electric, a much higher share than cars, which are nevertheless increasingly popular. A third of rickshaws used for passenger transport are now electric.
In June 2026, according to data from the government portal VAHAN, 31,265 electric vehicles were registered in India, exceeding the 30,000-unit monthly threshold for the first time, up by approximately 21 per cent over the same period last year.
Indian automaker Tata Motors continues to lead the market, with more than 12,000 vehicles sold and a 38.5 per cent market share, followed by Mahindra & Mahindra (24.5 per cent), and JSW MG Motor (18.5 per cent). Together, the three manufacturers control over 80 per cent of the domestic e-vehicle market.
The growth is due to the expansion of supply, rising prices for traditional fuels, government incentives, and the progressive development of charging infrastructure.
The electric two-wheeler market also continues to grow. In the first quarter of the 2026-2027 fiscal year, more than 523,000 new registrations were recorded, an all-time high for the country.
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20/04/2021 11:39
23/05/2022 15:18
