India launches Probe Into Fire Outbreak At Tata Plant 

TakeAway Points:

• Indian officials are planning to launch a forensic inquiry to determine what caused the fire that started on Saturday at a Tata Electronics factory that produces parts for Apple iPhones.
• The incident is the latest in recent years to affect Apple suppliers in India, where the U.S. firm is diversifying its supply chain beyond China and which it sees as a growth market.
• The market regulator stated on Sunday that BYD has notified the Chinese regulator that it is recalling around 97,000 electric cars (EVs) due to a manufacturing defect involving a steering control unit that could pose a fire risk.

Fire Outbreak At Tata Plant 

The factory, for which Sunday was a weekly holiday, is unlikely to receive state permission to resume production by Monday, said two people with direct knowledge of the matter.

The report has it that neither Tata Electronics nor Apple responded to requests for comment outside of regular business hours. Tata Electronics previously said it was investigating the cause and would take steps to safeguard employees and other stakeholders.

The incident is the latest in recent years to affect Apple suppliers in India, where the U.S. firm is diversifying its supply chain beyond China and which it sees as a growth market.

The fire at the plant in the city of Hosur began in an area used to store chemicals, a fire official said. It has been “completely put out,” and fumes have stopped, said district administrative official K.M. Sarayu.

Two workers who were hospitalised are likely to be discharged on Sunday, she said.

“We can now go in to investigate,” Sarayu said, adding that a forensic team from the state capital Chennai has been dispatched.

It was not clear if the fire affected surrounding buildings, one of which is set to start assembling iPhones by year-end.

BYD recalling 97,000 top-selling EVs on steering component fault

BYD has informed the Chinese regulator it is recalling nearly 97,000 electric vehicles (EVs) for a manufacturing fault involving a steering control unit that could lead to fire risks, the market regulator said on Sunday.

The Chinese automaker is recalling Dolphin and Yuan Plus EVs manufactured in China between November 2022 and December 2023, according to a statement from the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).

The company would ask its dealers to install a physical fix in the recalled cars, the SAMR statement added. It did not elaborate if any of the affected EVs were exported.

Dolphin and Yuan Plus were BYD’s two top-selling models in 2023, which in total accounted for 26% of its 3 million cars sold in the year, according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

The recall is a rare one by BYD of its pure electric and plug-in hybrid cars, as the Chinese company grew rapidly to become the world’s biggest seller of such vehicles.

It recalled a small batch of Tang plug-in hybrids in 2022 due to a defect in the battery pack that could cause fires.

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}