India Orders Battery App Removals After E-Rickshaw Shutdown Reports
India’s electronics ministry ordered app-store removals for BAT-BMS, Epoch-i-ion and Lossigy after reports that Bluetooth battery-management controls could disable e-rickshaws remotely. The removal order covers app-store distribution while the reported weakness sits in battery controls. The public record still lacks a final investigation report or named the battery makers involved.
Government Moves Against Apps Linked to E-Rickshaw Shutdowns
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has ordered the removal of BAT-BMS, Epoch-i-ion and Lossigy from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store after reports that Bluetooth-linked battery controls could be used to shut down e-rickshaws remotely.
MeitY sources described the action as a security response and said the matter remains under investigation.
IT Secretary S. Krishnan confirmed on Friday that the government had acted against two of the applications after they came to its notice the previous day.
“There are a couple of apps, which came to our notice yesterday and both of them have been taken down from the app stores,” Krishnan said on the sidelines of a Confederation of Indian Industry cybersecurity summit.
He added that the government would raise the issue with app-store operators and seek adequate due diligence before potentially harmful applications are allowed to remain available.
MediaNama found that BAT-BMS, Epoch-i-ion and Lossigy were still available for download on both stores at the time of writing, despite the government’s directive.
An ANI video dated July 3, 2026, also reported Krishnan’s comments on the removal of two apps allegedly used to prank e-rickshaws.
The Apps and the Shutdown Risk
The applications are designed to communicate with Bluetooth-enabled battery management systems in lithium-ion battery packs.
Manufacturers and technicians use them to monitor battery health, check charging and discharge parameters, diagnose faults and configure battery settings.
Some versions can also reach controls that enable or disable battery discharge.
When paired with a vulnerable battery system, that function can cut power to an e-rickshaw and leave it inoperable.
The controversy followed videos and social media posts showing e-rickshaws being remotely shut down, allegedly through the BAT-BMS application.
Why Vulnerable Batteries Are Exposed
The issue appears linked to the widespread use of third-party aftermarket battery systems in e-rickshaws.
Financial Express reported that several Bluetooth-enabled battery packs lack default passwords, authentication or stronger access controls before allowing a device to connect.
That can allow anyone within Bluetooth range—typically around 10 to 15 metres—to pair with a battery using a compatible application.
Once connected, the app can access battery firmware settings and toggle the master discharge function, cutting power to the vehicle.
Drivers Report Lost Work
MediaNama spoke to e-rickshaw drivers in Delhi University’s North Campus, near Jamia Millia Islamia and in Sikandarpur in Gurugram.
Drivers at all three locations reported that their vehicles had shut down unexpectedly.
Asif, who had bought his e-rickshaw only a month earlier, said it stopped at a red light while he was heading to a metro station to look for passengers.
“I couldn’t restart it and lost an entire day’s work,” he said.
Mohanlal said his vehicle stopped while carrying passengers and would not restart despite repeated attempts.
Passersby helped him push it off the road.
The shutdowns left the drivers unable to work and cost them the rest of the day’s earnings.
Quotes have been translated from Hindi to English.
