- Videos show a Chinese app used to remotely cut power to e-rickshaws mid-ride going viral
- Mumbai entrepreneur Ritu Hathi condemned the pranks for causing drivers to lose daily income
- The app, BAT-BMS, has a discharge switch meant for mechanics that pranksters exploit to stall vehicles
Videos of people using a Chinese app to remotely cut power to e-rickshaws mid-ride have gone viral on social media. While the clips have exposed the severe security vulnerabilities associated with electric vehicles, these pranks have come under scrutiny for disrupting the livelihoods of everyday drivers. Reacting to the trend, a Mumbai-based entrepreneur took to social media to slam those stalling the vehicles after witnessing a driver lose out on vital daily earnings.
In an X (formerly Twitter) post, Ritu Hathi, the co-founder of performance hydration company UP&RUN said the driver was forced to drag their stalled vehicle to the mechanic.
"Was on the road when a huge traffic jam suddenly happened. An e-rickshaw had stopped in the middle of the road because someone used that viral app to stop it," wrote Hathi.
"Driver pushed it to the side. Every passenger left. Then he dragged it to the nearest mechanic. Felt really bad for him. Lost a day's income and now has to pay the mechanic too."
Hathi said she could not understand the thrill people were getting by harming someone simply attempting to earn an honest day's living.
"Even when a single order gets returned in my business, I feel bad, and my livelihood is not as vulnerable as that e-rickshaw driver's. Can only imagine what he must have been going through."
Check The Post Here:
Was on the road when a huge traffic jam suddenly happened. An e-rickshaw had stopped in the middle of the road because someone used that viral app to stop it.
— Ritu (@Rituhathi) July 1, 2026
Driver pushed it to the side. Every passenger left. Then he dragged it to the nearest mechanic.
Felt really bad for…
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Why Are People Stalling E-Rickshaws?
The app used to stall e-rickshaws is called BAT-BMS, developed by Shenzhen Grenergy Technology, a Chinese company. It includes a function called the discharge switch, which is normally used by mechanics to safely cut off power before making repairs. However, this function is now being exploited by pranksters to stall e-rickshaws mid-journey.
While e-rickshaws have solved the last-mile connectivity for passengers across the country, their unregulated proliferation has caused severe urban traffic congestion and safety hazards. Some of the individuals responsible claim in their posts that they are taking “revenge” on e-rickshaw drivers for violating traffic rules.
