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A white Tesla Model S was sitting in a Rancho Cordova, Calif., wrecking yard earlier this month — having been severely damaged in a collision three weeks earlier — when it suddenly erupted in flames.
When firefighters arrived, the electric car was engulfed, according to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. Every time the blaze was momentarily extinguished, the car’s battery compartment reignited, the fire department wrote in an Instagram post. Firefighters and wrecking yard workers tried turning the car on its side to aim water directly onto the battery pack. But “the vehicle would still re-ignite due to the residual heat,” the department wrote.
Another reason to stay away from EVs. Fires are incredibly difficult to extinguish.
Quote:
All told, it took more than an hour and 4,500 gallons of water for the dozen firefighters to extinguish the blaze, Wilbourn said — about the same amount of water used to put out a building fire.
And, Californikation is in the middle of a water shortage.
Can't wait to see what happens when there are more EVs on cali roads
Texas electric vehicle crash underscores need for first responders to learn about hazards and response tactics
Although the cause of the recent Tesla incident is still being determined, news reports indicate that, despite intense heat, the fire was extinguished within four minutes. Firefighters; however, remained on scene for four hours cooling the car’s battery with tens of thousands of gallons of water. This is not the first time, we are hearing about batteries reigniting after on scene suppression and with the popularity of EVs growing, according to online car shopping site Edmunds, it certainly won’t be the last
The NTSB also found, in part, that:
Damage and fire because of a crash may prevent first responders from disabling the high voltage in electric vehicles
Thermal runaway and battery reignitions after initial fire suppression can pose additional challenges
Stranded energy can cause electric shock and potential fire hazards
Safely storing an electric vehicle with a damaged high-voltage lithium-ion battery in a tow yard may not be feasible
I do not believe that there is any way in hell that MrsM and I will ever buy an EV
There's always a danger to having lithium ion batteries around. Good manufacturers should take precautions to prevent accidents. When I bought the EM3EV battery pack for my electric bike I was leery for quite a while just having it anywhere indoors. Eventually I grew to trust it. It doesn't pay to skimp on lithium batteries for any project though. Using good quality with voltage and other protections is vital.
If it was really a big danger though, insurance companies wouldn't even cover them. I mean, people have been sitting on gallons of gasoline for decades and cars haven't exploded that many times. Accidents can happen though.
There shouldn't be a problem in normal circumstances where the batteries haven't been extensively damaged by a vehicle collision.
That doesn't change my opinion that fuel cells once they become widespread for semis, boats, and planes, could trickle down to cars and light duty trucks and displace EVs at some future date.
Little chemical China Syndromes waiting to melt through the pavement. Hot tip ... don't garage it at home. Leave it way out at the end of the driveway by the street and charge up at work in the parking garage.
There's always a danger to having lithium ion batteries around. Good manufacturers should take precautions to prevent accidents. When I bought the EM3EV battery pack for my electric bike I was leery for quite a while just having it anywhere indoors. Eventually I grew to trust it. It doesn't pay to skimp on lithium batteries for any project though. Using good quality with voltage and other protections is vital.
If it was really a big danger though, insurance companies wouldn't even cover them. I mean, people have been sitting on gallons of gasoline for decades and cars haven't exploded that many times. Accidents can happen though.
There shouldn't be a problem in normal circumstances where the batteries haven't been extensively damaged by a vehicle collision.
That doesn't change my opinion that fuel cells once they become widespread for semis, boats, and planes, could trickle down to cars and light duty trucks and displace EVs at some future date.
The batteries take up a significant part of the lower part of the car. I would think anything other then a small, parking lot fender bender would damage the batteries. Get past the crumple zone and you are into the batteries! One damaged cell ignites the rest.
The batteries take up a significant part of the lower part of the car. I would think anything other then a small, parking lot fender bender would damage the batteries. Get past the crumple zone and you are into the batteries! One damaged cell ignites the rest.
There should be time to exit the vehicle before the fire consumes it. It's not going to explode into a raging inferno like a gas tank would. The self sustaining chemical reaction would take time to spread to the other cells. Methinks this is just another anti-EV post from people unwilling to embrace new technology.
I don't really care who wins the vehicle wars. Whoever makes the vehicle with the lowest total cost of ownership in an attractive package, I will buy it. However, in 50 years, 96% of drivers will not be using internal combustion, gasoline powered vehicles. It's just progress. Something will replace internal combustion engines. It's inevitable. I visualize the same arguments 100 years ago as horses were being retired from their role as primary transportation. Human beings resist progress and change as a species.
Right now, EV's range sucks, they are too expensive, and they really don't work well in a Minnesota climate where 0 degrees in the winter is common. They have a ways to go before I will adopt their usage. I wish them luck though!
Several yrs ago we were into RC cars which was popular in the area. (Traxxis) They use lithium ion batteries. He left his plugged in overnight in the garage. House burnt down
There should be time to exit the vehicle before the fire consumes it. It's not going to explode into a raging inferno like a gas tank would. The self sustaining chemical reaction would take time to spread to the other cells. Methinks this is just another anti-EV post from people unwilling to embrace new technology.
I don't really care who wins the vehicle wars. Whoever makes the vehicle with the lowest total cost of ownership in an attractive package, I will buy it. However, in 50 years, 96% of drivers will not be using internal combustion, gasoline powered vehicles. It's just progress. Something will replace internal combustion engines. It's inevitable. I visualize the same arguments 100 years ago as horses were being retired from their role as primary transportation. Human beings resist progress and change as a species.
Right now, EV's range sucks, they are too expensive, and they really don't work well in a Minnesota climate where 0 degrees in the winter is common. They have a ways to go before I will adopt their usage. I wish them luck though!
Unless the accident renders you unconscious or structural damage causes the doors not to operate. Have you seen lithium battery fires on Youtube? Pretty impressive. Similar to the flame on a road flare only car sized.
Yesterday, a wooden house somewhere burned to the ground.
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