The internet seems to be annoyed with how e-rickshaw drivers move around the cities. Netizens have a latest obsession trying to check whether they can stop an e-rickshaw with just using their smartphones. Viral videos circulating on X have sparked concerns after showing people allegedly stopping moving e-rickshaws using the BAT-BMS app. This clip claims that the mobile app can switch off nearly electric three-wheelers while they are on the road. Here is everything we know so far on the BAT-BMS app.
What Is the BAT-BMS App?
BAT-BMS app is a battery management app developed by Chinese company Shenzhen Grenergy Technology. It is designed to monitor Bluetooth-enabled lithium batteries and offers users details such as battery charge, voltage, current, temperature, battery health and charging cycles.
We at Times Now Tech found that the BAT-BMS app is not available on Apple’s App Store, although similar battery management apps remain available. The original BAT-BMS app continues to be available on Google’s Pay Store.
The app also lets users manage certain battery functions, concluding charging and discharging, but only on compatible battery systems. Notably, the concern is not about the app itself but how it may be used on some unsecured battery systems. As per many social media posts, some low-cost lithium battery packs installed in Indian e-rickshaws use Bluetooth-enabled Battery Management Systems (BMS) with weak protection. If a battery is left unsecured, it could be potentially connected and disabled. Since the discharge function supplies power to the vehicle’s motor, turning it off may cause the e-rickshaw to stop suddenly.
These viral prank videos seem to show this situation.
Can The App Stop Every Electric Vehicle?
We downloaded the app on an Android phone and tried to connect with a couple of e-rickshaws. The claims that BAT-BMS can shut down any nearby electric vehicle are misleading. The app is likely to work with batteries that have a compatible Bluetooth-enabled Battery Management System. Many e-rickshaws in India still use conventional lead-acid batteries, which do not support Bluetooth connectivity.
Additionally, the battery must support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), broadcast its presence and be compatible with the BAT-BMS platform before any connection can be established.
