Government Cracks Down on BAT-BMS, Epoch Li-ion and Lossigy Apps After Alleged Misuse Against E-Rickshaws
- Utshab Biswas
- Jul 4
- 5 min read
The Centre has initiated action against BAT-BMS, Epoch Li-ion and Lossigy after reports claimed the apps were being misused to remotely disable Bluetooth-enabled e-rickshaws. The incident has raised major cybersecurity concerns around connected electric vehicle battery systems.
The Government of India has taken steps against three battery management apps – BAT-BMS, Epoch Li-ion, and Lossigy – following reports that these apps were being misused to de-power electric vehicles, specifically e-rickshaws, via Bluetooth connectivity. This came on the heels of a number of social media videos which showed people connecting with battery-operated vehicles and turning off their batteries as a joke.
While the Government of India had issued directions to remove these apps, they were still available on app stores when the news was published. There have been raised cybersecurity alarms following the case related to the rapidly developing electric vehicle industry in India, specifically those vehicles with Bluetooth-enabled BMS.
Government Orders Removal of Battery Management Apps
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has also stated that action has been taken against the three applications after complaints of their alleged misuse. “The ministry is already into the process and will collaborate with the app store owners to remove the applications which can be misused,” said S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY.
Official orders for the removal of the three apps - BAT-BMS, Epoch Li-ion, and Lossigy are also being prepared as security issues surrounding these apps are being examined.
This comes at a time when there are apprehensions that connected battery technologies could become security hazards due to absence of proper safeguards by manufacturers.
What Are BAT-BMS, Epoch Li-ion and Lossigy?
There are legitimate battery management applications called BAT-BMS, Epoch Li-ion, and Lossigy that were developed for the sake of monitoring and controlling Lithium-ion batteries. These applications help users to check such battery characteristics as voltage, current, charge state, and temperature. Moreover, it provides remote control through Bluetooth of the corresponding battery systems.
In usual conditions, these applications will help users to control the condition of batteries, find out any problems and monitor the performance of batteries. Nevertheless, according to the authorities, the issue does not consist of the use of the applications for the stated purpose, but poor protection of many compatible Battery Management Systems in cheap electric cars.
How the Apps Were Allegedly Misused
As per some government representatives, most e-rickshaws in India, which come cheap, employ Bluetooth-powered BMS that needs no authentication at all.
It implies that any person within the range of Bluetooth connection in the car can establish a connection with the battery using an appropriate app. Upon doing so, they could then block the discharge of the battery and render the vehicle inoperable right away.
Since the battery remains disconnected until it is turned on using the same app by the individual, the driver gets stuck with no idea why the vehicle has stopped working.
Government representatives state that this security hole arises due to the fact that many inexpensive BMS systems lack any basic forms of protection like password confirmation.
Viral Videos Exposed the Problem
However, this problem first made news throughout the nation due to various videos circulating on the internet that depicted individuals being able to remotely shut down passing e-rickshaws simply by hooking up to the battery of these vehicles using Bluetooth technology.
While the videos themselves may have been portrayed as entertaining pranks, according to authorities, the effects on the drivers of these rickshaws were far from enjoyable.
To thousands of e-rickshaw drivers, an hour or two of not driving can lead to substantial monetary losses. Reportedly, many drivers felt that the battery had developed some technical problems and took time searching for mechanics until they found out that it had merely been turned off remotely.
Driver Reportedly Lost an Entire Day's Income
One of the highly debated cases was brought to light by a social media personality named Amaan Siddiqui during an interview with ANI.
According to Siddiqui, he met a driver of an e-rickshaw, whose e-rickshaw was stuck there because someone had switched off the battery of the vehicle using the BAT-BMS application. Using the same application, Siddiqui succeeded in reactivating the battery.
The driver revealed that he had lost around ₹400-₹500 in income on that particular day because of the stuck battery. This happened because he had hired the e-rickshaw on rent for that particular purpose.
Larger Cybersecurity Concerns for Electric Vehicles
Authorities say that the dispute highlights a far wider problem related to connected EV technology.
Management software for batteries is extensively used within the lithium-ion battery business as diagnostic and monitoring software. Nevertheless, if battery technologies are installed without proper authentication or encryption, management options can be misused.
According to government sources, BAT-BMS, created by Shenzhen Grenergy Technology in China, is initially used for battery monitoring and managing compatible lithium-ion battery packs. Misuse in India is thought to happen due to insecurity of Battery Management Systems and not due to functions of the program.
Cybersecurity specialists claim that connected devices must always use secure pairing, password authentication before sending remote commands.
Delhi Government Begins Investigation
The Delhi administration has also come to know about this dispute.
Pankaj Singh, who is the Transport Minister, has instructed the Transport Department to investigate if it is possible for BAT-BMS to remotely lock the e-rickshaws using Bluetooth technology and ascertain if the allegations made on various websites are true.
Even though there haven't been any formal written complaints by those affected drivers, the Transport Department has been instructed to carry out a thorough investigation into this matter.
What This Means for E-Rickshaw Owners
It also highlights how intelligent solutions need secure solutions to go along with them. The use of Bluetooth in Battery Management Systems has made it easy to keep track of the battery condition but poor security could leave vehicles exposed to unforeseen dangers.
Analysts in the industry think there is now more pressure on carmakers to integrate password protection for Bluetooth pairing, encryption technology, and authentication.
With the Indian electric mobility market booming in recent years, securing the vehicle component's cyber safety will be as crucial as developing better battery life and ranges.
It would be no surprise if the government's decision to scrap BAT-BMS, Epoch Li-ion, and Lossigy has been triggered by concerns over the need for cybersecurity in connected electric vehicles. Although the apps were designed for managing the batteries, news of their malicious use has shown major vulnerabilities in the Bluetooth-enabled Battery Management Systems that some inexpensive e-rickshaws come equipped with.
With probes ongoing on both central and state levels, this event will most likely compel the manufacturers to adopt enhanced security standards. For millions of people who make a living driving electric vehicles, preventing remote attacks may be crucial to ensure both their earnings and consumer trust in India’s fast-developing electric vehicle industry.
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