Can an app turn off nearby e-rickshaws? Here's the truth
What's the story
A smartphone app designed to monitor lithium batteries has gone viral in India, thanks to videos showing e-rickshaws being turned off mid-ride. The clips show a mobile application called BAT-BMS connecting with battery-powered three-wheelers and shutting them down while on the road. However, the reality is a bit more complex than what these videos suggest.
Twitter Post
Take a look at one of the viral vidoes
Chinese app BAT-BMS sparks panic by remotely shutting off e-rickshaws & scooters via Bluetooth on their batteries.💀 pic.twitter.com/oeyG2haBqN
— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) July 1, 2026
App purpose
What is the BAT-BMS app?
The BAT-BMS app, developed by Chinese company Shenzhen Grenergy Technology, is a Battery Management System (BMS) monitoring tool. It lets users monitor Bluetooth-enabled lithium batteries and control their charging and discharging functions. The app provides details such as battery charge, voltage, current temperature, cycle life, and health of individual battery cells.
Security issue
App can be used to shut down vehicles
The growing concern isn't about the app itself, but its alleged misuse. Some low-cost lithium battery packs used in certain Indian e-rickshaws come with Bluetooth-enabled BMS units that are poorly protected or not password-protected at all. If such a battery is unsecured, anyone within Bluetooth range (10 to 15 meters) can connect to it and disable its discharge function, thereby cutting off power to the motor and bringing the vehicle to a halt.
Limited impact
Not every vehicle can be turned off
Despite the social media uproar, there's no proof that BAT-BMS can connect with every electric vehicle. The app only works with batteries having a compatible Bluetooth-enabled Battery Management System. Many e-rickshaws still use conventional lead-acid batteries that don't have Bluetooth connectivity. Even among lithium-powered vehicles, many manufacturers use proprietary battery management systems requiring their own dedicated apps instead of BAT-BMS.
Connection criteria
Claims are exaggerated
The BAT-BMS app doesn't automatically find or take over every nearby vehicle. The battery must support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), advertise its presence, and be compatible with the BAT-BMS platform for a connection to be established. This means claims that anyone can turn off any nearby e-rickshaw are exaggerated. Only vehicles with compatible Bluetooth-enabled battery systems could be at risk.
Security measures
Cybersecurity concerns in electric mobility sector
The incident has raised a major cybersecurity concern for the growing electric mobility industry. The problem isn't sophisticated internet hacking but poor security settings on certain battery systems. Many cheap Bluetooth-enabled BMS units are shipped with weak authentication or no password at all, allowing anyone nearby to pair with the battery and access controls that should ideally remain restricted to the owner.