Taking care of your electric 2W during monsoon

With monsoons fast advancing across various parts of India, water-clogged roads become an unavoidable reality. It is a good time to understand water safety ratings, especially from the perspective of Electric 2 Wheelers. Gurusharan Dhillon, Director of eMobility at Customised Energy Solutions, shares the guidelines for taking care of electric two-wheelers during the monsoon season.

The mounting position of an electric scooter’s motor can either be Hub mounted or Mid Drive. In case the motor is mounted on the hub of the wheel, it is placed approximately 150 – 160 mm over the ground. The mounting position for a Mid Drive Motor may be slightly higher and can range from 200 mm to 210 mm, depending on the vehicle. We also need to bear in mind that because of the higher wheel diameter Electric Motorcycles are at an advantage as compared to Electric scooters due to higher ground clearance.

Water ingress into the Electric motor housing of the Motor can severely impact the entire electrical system of the vehicle, causing short circuits and permanently damaging the motor, windings, and Control unit, along with corrosion on the Bearings. Water ingress can also be a concern for the Battery pack, especially if the mounting location is on the floorboard of the Electric scooter. Additionally, due consideration needs to be taken for other aspects like the Information Display unit, sensors, controllers and other sensitive components.

During the Vehicle development stage, OEMs expose vehicles to highly demanding testing conditions to challenge product capabilities in all environments like extreme temperature, vibration, water wading, impact and all possible road conditions and terrains. With that reassurance in mind, let us quickly look at what does Ingress Protection Code mean, how it is measured and what level of Ingress protection (IP) rating can help assure safety for our Electric  2 Wheelers.

Ingress Protection Code is defined by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) under applicable international standard IEC 60529, which classifies the degree of protection against dust and water.

The detailed IP rating table is as below:

Additional detail on testing methods specifically for IP 65, 66 and 67 are as below:

Critical electrical components of an Electric 2W comply with IP65 and above ratings (Battery Pack, IPX7 is now mandatory as per AIS-156 regulation). This information on Ingress protection and stringent development and testing protocols for Electric 2W’s is reassuring and helps alleviate many concerns related to the use of Electric 2W in rain.

Answers to some important questions regarding your Electric 2 Wheeler during monsoon are as below:

Parking:

It is recommended to park your Electric 2W in a flat, covered and dry location during rains however, if this is not possible, kindly cover your electric scooter with a good quality water-resistant cover to help safeguard your vehicle.

Charging:

Due consideration has been made on both the vehicle as well the charger side to support all-weather operations. On-board sensors establish a connection between the charger and vehicle after the system validates safety, after which the flow of current starts. Charging is normally suspended as soon as the system detects any concern.

While it is safe to charge your vehicle in the rain after making sure that the charging gun and charging socket are dry, it is advisable to do so only as an exception in case of any exigency rather than as normal practice.

Driving:

Driving any 2W in heavy rains is not recommended from a safety perspective. However, Electric scooters are safe to use in light rain or drizzle conditions without any concern. If you are caught in unexpected heavy rain, it is advisable to find shelter for yourself and your vehicle from rain as soon as possible.

Water Logging:

Electric 2W are elaborately tested for water wading capabilities. If your normal route entails having to go through a water-logged area, it is safe to do so; however, after reaching your destination, please park your vehicle in a flat, covered and dry location to allow water to drain out.

The information shared above is advisory in nature, and it is recommended to always consult OEM Owner’s manual or their Contact centre for any specific queries and further clarifications. Wishing you safe riding in all seasons.

Fun fact/Trivia: The IP rating for an umbrella is IP 01, and for a submarine is IP 68.

About the author

Gurusharan Dhillon is an automotive professional with 30+ years of expertise in strategy, operations, sales and marketing. He currently serves as a Director of eMobility at Customised Energy Solutions. With a focus on the electric mobility sector, Dhillon specializes in Powertrain, Battery Technology, Charging Infrastructure, and emerging technologies. He has worked with leading automotive OEMs like Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Hyundai.

Also Read: Types of motors used in electric vehicles and future trends