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Electric vehicles (EVs) are all the rage these days. With their promise of lower emissions and smooth, quiet rides, it’s no wonder that the global demand for EVs has been soaring. However, if you live near the coast — or anywhere prone to flooding — there’s a less-talked-about risk that could make you rethink that shiny new electric car parked in your driveway: saltwater-induced fires from flooded EV batteries.<br /><h2>Saltwater and EV batteries</h2>When it comes to EVs, the heart of the vehicle’s power lies in its battery, usually a lithium-ion (Li-ion) pack. These batteries are highly efficient, but they’re also sensitive to water, especially the salty kind. In September and October 2024, the Southeast U.S. was hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton, which caused catastrophic flooding. Thousands of homes were damaged, and in a particularly frightening twist, 11 electric cars and 48 lithium-ion batteries caught fire after being exposed to salty floodwaters.<br /><br />Saltwater is a conductor of electricity, which means it can get into the EV battery packs, triggering a dangerous reaction. When water seeps into the battery, it can cause a short-circuit between the battery's terminals, which may lead to overheating, violent fires, and even explosions. In many cases, the fire doesn’t start right away — it can take hours or even days after the exposure before a thermal runaway event occurs, causing a dangerous blaze. Once the fire starts, it’s nearly impossible to put out with regular fire-fighting methods. Firefighters often have no choice but to let the battery burn itself out.<br />    <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113906136" title="Planning to purchase an EV? Here&amp;#39;s how to ensure it never catches on fire" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>In 2022, during Hurricane Ian in Florida, 36 EVs that had been flooded reportedly caught fire, even some that were being towed on flatbed trucks. The problem lies in how lithium-ion batteries react to saltwater. The metal terminals in these batteries, when exposed to salty water, can corrode and build short-circuiting paths that lead to fires days later. The fire hazard remains even in fully discharged batteries, meaning even seemingly "safe" vehicles after flooding could still pose a serious threat.<br /><h2>The risk to coastal cities</h2>This issue is especially concerning for coastal cities where rising sea levels and hurricanes are becoming more frequent. According to a 2023 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), <keyword id="381751" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicle" source="Orion">electric vehicle</keyword> adoption is growing rapidly in many parts of the world, including India, where EV sales increased by around 50% in the first quarter of 2024 alone. Cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kochi are embracing EVs due to their environmental benefits and growing infrastructure support. However, these coastal cities are also at higher risk for flooding, making the combination of increased EV adoption and rising sea levels a perfect storm for potential disaster.<br /><br />In fact, areas prone to heavy rains and floods, like India’s coastal cities, are facing unique challenges. The combination of frequent monsoon floods and rising sea levels presents a scenario where more and more EVs could end up submerged in salty floodwaters, increasing the risk of battery fires in the region.<br /><h2>What does this mean for you?</h2>While electric cars are generally safe under normal conditions, the growing risk of battery fires due to flooding is an important factor to consider if you live in flood-prone areas, especially near the sea. The key takeaway here is that EV owners should take extra precautions when natural disasters loom, particularly hurricanes and floods. Here's what you can do to protect your EV:<br /><br /><ul><li>Move your EV to higher ground: If you're in a flood zone, take your EV to higher ground or evacuate it if possible. This will help prevent it from being submerged in salty water.</li><li>Evacuate early: Be proactive and evacuate before the floodwaters hit. Don't wait for the last minute to move your vehicle to safety.</li><li>After the flood, treat submerged EVs with caution: If your EV has been submerged in water, especially saltwater, it’s essential to avoid using it, charging it, or even moving it until it’s been inspected by professionals. Contact the manufacturer for a thorough inspection of the battery.</li><li>Do not attempt DIY fixes: If your vehicle has been exposed to saltwater, do not try to start it, charge it, or fix the battery yourself. The risks of fire are too high, and professionals are trained to handle such situations safely.</li></ul>

Buying an EV may be a somewhat dangerous move if you live near the sea

As festival season rolls around, many people are excited about purchasing an <keyword id="19906970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicle" source="keywords">electric vehicle</keyword> (EV) not just for the eco-friendly benefits but also for the attractive discounts. With the growing popularity of EVs — a third of car-aspirants plan to buy an EV this year, reveals a Way2News survey — one lingering concern that might cross your mind is the risk of the car catching fire. While EV fires are rare, they can still happen under certain conditions, so it's essential to understand the risks and know how to prevent them.<br /><h2>Why do they burn?</h2>First and foremost, EV fires are most commonly linked to the lithium-ion batteries that power these vehicles. When an EV is involved in a crash, or if its battery is physically damaged in any way, there is a risk of what is known as "<keyword id="19981370" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="thermal-runaway" source="keywords">thermal runaway</keyword>." This happens when heat inside the battery cannot dissipate quickly enough, causing the cells to overheat and, in rare cases, ignite. <br /><br />Thankfully, EV manufacturers extensively test vehicles to minimise this risk, and incidents are exceedingly rare. In fact, statistics show that electric car fires are significantly less frequent than fires in internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. A study from Sweden's Civil Contingencies Agency found that only 0.004% of EVs caught fire in 2022, compared to 0.08% for ICE cars.<br />  <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113816837" title="PM E-DRIVE scheme with ₹10,900 crore outlay announced for electric vehicles" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>As such, the ambient temperature can also play a significant role in the safety and performance of EV batteries. Extreme heat can be particularly dangerous, as it increases the likelihood of the battery cells overheating and entering thermal runaway, which may lead to a fire. High temperatures can accelerate the chemical reactions within lithium-ion batteries, making them more prone to malfunctions.<br /><br />Therefore, it is important to avoid exposing your EV to prolonged high heat, such as parking it under direct sunlight for extended periods, especially in regions where temperatures soar during the summer. Regular maintenance of the battery's cooling system is also critical, as it ensures the battery stays within a safe operating range, preventing overheating and extending the battery's lifespan<br /><h2>Charging and flooding</h2>Another key risk comes from improper charging practices. Overcharging the battery, or using poorly regulated, non-certified charging stations, can cause the battery to overheat. It's crucial that EV owners use certified, high-quality charging stations and follow manufacturer recommendations to avoid overloading the system. Many modern EVs come with software that automatically stops charging once the battery is full, but it’s always a good idea to avoid prolonged charging beyond the battery's capacity.<br /><br />Water exposure can also be hazardous for EVs, particularly in flood-prone areas. While most EVs are designed to handle a fair amount of moisture, saltwater exposure, such as during coastal floods, can create serious problems. Saltwater can corrode the battery and create short circuits, which might lead to fires long after the vehicle has been submerged.<br />  <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113857238" title="Ron DeSantis said EVs could catch fire if caught up in Hurricane Helene. Experts say he&amp;#39;s right — and that you should take these steps to protect yourself." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, for example, there were reports of submerged EVs catching fire even days after the floodwaters receded. If you live in an area prone to flooding, take extra precautions by parking your EV in a sheltered area, and if your car has been exposed to water, have it inspected immediately.<br /><h2>Those annoying software updates are important!</h2>It’s also important to stay updated on any recalls or software updates. EVs, like any other technology, may occasionally be subject to recalls due to manufacturing defects or safety concerns. Being proactive in checking for recalls can prevent potential issues from becoming dangerous. For instance, some EV models have had recall campaigns specifically to address battery-related risks, ensuring that any faulty cells are replaced before they pose a threat.<br />  <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113315022" title="Waiting for the festive season to buy an EV? Cabinet approves PM E-Drive subsidising most EVs, sans electric cars" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Finally, while EV fires may capture attention when they happen, it’s essential to keep them in perspective. Despite the fear surrounding them, EV fires are much less common than fires in gasoline-powered cars. The data shows that EVs are about 80 times less likely to catch fire than their gasoline counterparts.<br /><br />When considering an EV purchase, focus on the safety features and proactive measures in place to keep you and your vehicle safe. With proper charging, regular inspections, and staying informed, you can confidently enjoy the benefits of your new EV this festive season!<br />

Planning to purchase an EV? Here's how to ensure it never catches on fire

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Hurricane Helene caused at least 6 EV fires in Florida, according to state officials.</li><li>Saltwater can corrode lithium-ion batteries, leading to short-circuits and fires.</li></ul><p>Soon after Hurricane Helene barreled into northwestern Florida, local government officials <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1886706438505288&amp;ref=sharing">shared footage</a> of an electric vehicle catching fire in a flooded garage.</p><p>The video, posted by Pinellas County officials on social media, came with a warning for EV owners about the risks posed by salt water, which can corrode lithium-ion batteries and cause them to short-circuit and overheat. Don't "charge, drive, or store your EV or E-bike in your home or garage,"the post said. It recommended they "move the EV or E-bike 50 feet away from any other combustible material" and "have the vehicle towed to a dealership for inspection."</p><p>Florida officials said on Tuesday that they had <a target="_blank" href="https://myfloridacfo.com/news/pressreleases/press-release-details/2024/10/02/fire-safety-alert-cfo---state-fire-marshal-jimmy-patronis--lithium-ion-batteries-are-ticking-time-bombs-in-wake-of-hurricane-helene">since confirmed 16 lithium-ion-battery fires</a> related to Hurricane Helene's storm surge, six of which were in EVs. Electric golf carts, e-bikes, and other battery-powered devices are also a hazard. The fires led Florida's chief financial officer and fire marshal, Jimmy Patronis, to call on automakers to be more proactive about notifying customers about moving their EVs to higher ground ahead of a storm (as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-helene-electric-vehicles-evs-owners-fire-risk-safety-tips-2024-10">Gov. Ron DeSantis</a> did before Helene arrived) and about what to do if an EV is flooded.</p><p>"It's not too late for these manufacturers to send out notifications and fire safety information directly to their consumers," Patronis said in a statement, adding that his office was coordinating with emergency responders to make residents aware of the risks.</p><p>The warnings come at a critical time for the EV industry. Consumer demand for EVs has been slower than expected this year, and Republicans including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-elon-musk-tesla-electric-vehicle-tax-credit-oil-2024-7">JD Vance have attacked the industry</a> in the run-up to the presidential election in November. J.D. Power has forecast that EVs will account for 9% of the market this year — a figure the group <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jdpower.com/business/resources/jd-power-revises-ev-retail-share-forecast">revised down from 12% because of slower adoption</a>. Surveys have suggested that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ev-charging-range-improving-americans-still-dont-want-electric-cars-2024-9">Americans are a lot more concerned about finding chargers</a> than safety, but viral videos of EV fires could fuel skepticism.</p><p>Brent Gruber, the executive director of J.D. Power's electric-vehicle practice, told Business Insider that because of the recent fires, his team planned to begin tracking consumers' concern about EV fires.</p><p>Some data from the Transportation Department and Tesla suggests EVs catch fire less often than hybrid or gas-powered cars on the road or in crashes. Saltwater storm surges during Hurricanes Ida, Ian, and now Helene pose a risk to lithium-ion batteries, but it's not clear how often EV fires occur during extreme weather events.</p><p>A spokesperson for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said its data on vehicle fires was limited to fires after fatal crashes. The agency said that since Hurricane Ian struck Florida in 2022, it has monitored reports of EV fires during coastal storms in the southeastern and northeastern US and in California. It said reports of EV fires resulting from saltwater flooding came only from Florida.</p><p>"More research is underway to better understand the interaction of high-voltage battery systems and saltwater immersion," the spokesperson said. They added that the agency had proposed updating some safety requirements for EV batteries to reduce the risk of these fires.</p><p>Albert Gore, the executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association, which represents EV makers like Tesla and Rivian, told Business Insider that manufacturers had done a lot of outreach over the past decade to local fire departments about EV-battery safety. He emphasized that the fires seemed to be limited to coastal regions where saltwater storm surge is a risk and argued that EVs in general are much less likely to catch fire than gas-powered vehicles.</p><p>"The most important piece of information to communicate is if you live in an area where there's a risk of hurricanes and storm surge, it's really important to move that vehicle to higher ground," Gore said.</p><p>Several fire departments along Florida's coastline told Business Insider that they'd been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/electric-vehicle-fires-what-to-know-2023-11">educating their emergency responders</a> and the public about how to prevent and put out EV fires since Hurricane Ian in 2022.</p><p>Kelsey Grentzer, a spokesperson for the government in Pinellas County, which covers St. Petersburg and Clearwater, said that so far during Hurricane Helene, emergency responders in the county had been called out to at least 93 vehicle fires. Grentzer said they were still analyzing the breakdown of how many were gas cars versus EVs.</p><p>Heather Mazurkiewicz, a spokesperson for the North Collier Fire Control and Rescue District, which covers Naples, didn't have an exact figure for Helene but said the district had been taking the problem seriously.</p><p>"There's no predictability as to how or when a fire will start from the battery compartment. They're extremely volatile," Mazurkiewicz said.</p><p>Even after an EV battery fire appears to be extinguished, lingering stored energy can cause what's known as a "thermal runaway," a cycle of overheating and over-pressurizing. Putting out the battery fire can require more than 10,0000 gallons of water, Mazurkiewicz added.</p><p>The volatility was on display in the Pinellas County officials' viral video. The EV owners <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fox13news.com/news/electric-vehicle-catches-fire-garage-destroys-home-during-hurricane-helene">told a local Fox affiliate</a> that they narrowly escaped their home in Siesta Key as it became engulfed in flames and that they didn't know that a small amount of flooding could ignite the EV.</p>

Viral videos of EVs catching fire after Hurricane Helene raise safety concerns in Florida

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A Tesla vehicle caught fire in Plano, Texas on Friday, local news outlet WFAA reported.</li><li>The owner told WFAA he heard a hissing sound coming from the battery before it caught alight. </li></ul><p>A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-owner">Tesla owner</a> said he heard a hissing sound coming from the battery the day before it caught fire in his garage. </p><p>The vehicle, a Model X, caught alight Friday and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/tesla-battery-fire-engulfs-car-in-flames-in-plano-texas-owner-says/287-d5268ba6-55ce-448a-8450-d8cff6e2c888"><u>took firefighters hours to put out</u></a> after they threw a tarp on it and rolled it out onto the street in the city of Plano, Texas, local ABC affiliate station WFAA reported.  </p><p>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla">Tesla</a> owner told WFAA he had the new battery installed Thursday at a Tesla dealership in Plano, which is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro area. </p><p>When he checked the car in the early hours of Friday morning, he saw flames coming from the battery and called the fire department. </p><p>A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-67389134"><u>video</u></a> shared by the BBC from the incident shows the vehicle engulfed in flames with multiple firefighters attempting to put it out using hoses. It then shows the car jacked up on one side covered in ash after the fire was extinguished while smoke still comes from the vehicle.</p><p>"The guys were quick thinking. Once they put the tarp on the car and were able to contain the fire underneath that tarp, they quickly hooked some tow chains underneath and dragged it using one of our battalions," Daniel Daly, a Plano Fire-Rescue lieutenant, told the news station. </p><p>Daly said the cause of the fire is still being investigated. He added that they knew that they "had to get on that battery" because it is an electric vehicle. </p><p>Fortunately, the fire rescue team in Plano are specially trained on how to contain a lithium battery fire and cool it, per WFAA. </p><p>EV fires are "extremely difficult to extinguish", according to a UK-based fire and rescue service. That's because lithium batteries release heat from the energy they store as well as toxic gasses.  </p><p>The batteries are also at risk of catching fire multiple times after the first incident, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/news/essex-firefighters-adapt-new-hazards-electric-vehicle-fires"><u>posing as a fire hazard</u></a> for several days, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said in a July press release about adapting to the new hazard. </p><p>Another Tesla <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-model-s-battery-caught-fire-driving-highway-photos-2023-1?r=US&amp;IR=T"><u>"spontaneously caught fire"</u></a> on a California highway in January and it took about 6,000 gallons of water to extinguish it.</p><p>"A fully involved traditional combustion vehicle can be extinguished with a single fire engine's 700 gallon water supply," the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/MetroFireOfSacramento/posts/pfbid02NKEuAHr8Td6vDWNXZfX7yHGE7bNZLVuLcu795tvqdqGg2YgSYsyqjsJBVGdMjkVsl"><u>said in a Facebook post at the time</u></a>. </p><p>They added that the fire originated in the battery compartment of the Model S. </p><p>Tesla Plano didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside of normal working hours. <br /></p>

A Tesla owner said he heard a 'hissing' sound from the battery before it caught on fire in his garage

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A Tesla Model S "spontaneously caught fire" on a California highway on Saturday.</li><li>Metro Fire Sacramento said that it took about 6,000 gallons of water to put the fire out.</li></ul><p>A Tesla Model S "spontaneously caught fire" while driving on the highway on Saturday, officials said. California firefighters had to use about 6,000 gallons of water to put out the flames.</p><p>The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MetroFireOfSacramento/posts/pfbid02NKEuAHr8Td6vDWNXZfX7yHGE7bNZLVuLcu795tvqdqGg2YgSYsyqjsJBVGdMjkVsl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in a Facebook post</a> that the Tesla driver was heading eastbound on Highway 50 near Sunrise Boulevard when he noticed "heavy black smoke" coming from underneath the vehicle. No one was injured in the incident, and the driver was able to safely pull over to the side of the highway, the department said.</p><p>Metro Fire of Sacramento posted a video from the incident on Twitter that showed firefighters hosing the vehicle down — a process that the department said took several hours and three fire engines to complete.</p><p>Pictures from the scene also show the fire department investigating the Tesla's undercarriage. The department said on Facebook that the fire started in the electric-car's battery compartment which had not sustained any previous damage ahead of the incident.</p><div type="image" title="A Tesla Model S caught fire on the eastbound highway at Sunrise Blvd on January 28, 2023." height="1055" width="1407" msid="97457673" hostid="261" sizebytes="189920"></div><p>The average fire that involves a combustion-engine car requires about 700 gallons of water to put it out, while a fire caused by an EV battery can take over three-times as much water, the fire department said.</p><p>"Modern technology evolution requires continuous advancements in modern firefighting techniques that are currently being evaluated for efficiency," Metro Fire Sacramento said in a post on Facebook.</p><div type="image" title="A Tesla Model S caught fire on the eastbound highway at Sunrise Blvd on January 28, 2023." height="1067" width="1422" msid="97457676" hostid="261" sizebytes="178972"></div><p>Electric-car fires can be difficult to put out because of the chemistry of lithium-ion batteries, which burn hotter than their gas counterparts.The batteries can also catch fire multiple times after the first incident, posing as a fire hazard for up to several days. In 2020, the National Transportation Safety Board <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Pages/HWY19SP002.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that EV battery fires can represent a risk to first responders, including electric shock and a reignited fire due to the "stranded" energy in a damaged EV battery.</p><p>Despite the difficulty of addressing EV fires, they're not a common issue. A 2022 <a href="https://www.autoinsuranceez.com/gas-vs-electric-car-fires/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">report</a> from AutoinsuranceEZ suggested that EVs were generally less likely to catch fire than combustion-engine vehicles.</p><p>Tesla did not immediately reply to a request for comment.</p>

See photos from the Tesla Model S that 'spontaneously' caught fire while driving down the highway

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A <keyword id="2470415" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="tesla-model-3">Tesla Model 3</keyword> crashed on Tuesday in Corvallis, Oregon, flinging hot battery cells far from the crash site.</li><li>Two cells broke through nearby windows — one landed in someone's lap, while the other landed on a bed and caught the sheets on fire, the police said.</li><li>The Corvallis Police Department said the driver was going over 100 mph and sustained only minor injuries.</li></ul><p><keyword id="107096" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tesla">Tesla</keyword> has caught heat in the past for its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-updates-battery-software-after-a-shanghai-hong-kong-fires-2019-5">battery packs bursting into flames</a>, but a crash on Tuesday in Corvallis, Oregon, suggests that the <keyword id="6354973" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="electric-vehicles">electric vehicles</keyword> might pose a fire hazard not just to themselves but to the surrounding environment.</p><p>In an incident <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/news/37711/burning-battery-cell-debris-from-tesla-model-3-crash-starts-house-fire">spotted by The Drive</a>, a speeding Model 3 hit a power pole, shearing the pole at its base and hurling bits of the car far from the crash site, the Corvallis Police Department <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CorvallisPoliceDepartment">said in a statement on Facebook</a>. The Model 3 was obliterated, and its battery pack was destroyed, flinging burning-hot battery cells around the neighborhood.</p><p>Battery cells broke through two windows of two homes — one landed on a person's lap, while the other landed on a bed and caught the sheets on fire, the police said.</p><div type="image" title="tesla model 3 battery cell" height="1512" width="2016" msid="79311471" hostid="261"></div><p>"A tire was ripped from the car during the collision and struck the second story siding of a nearby apartment complex with such force that it ruptured the water pipes within the wall, destroying the bathroom to the apartment and flooding the downstairs portion of the apartment as well," the police said.</p><p>The police said the driver was going over 100 mph when he lost control of the vehicle, plowing into the power pole, two trees, and a telephone junction box. The driver fled on foot but was found nearby and transported to the hospital with minor injuries. The police charged him with a DUI, hit and run, criminal mischief, reckless driving, and reckless endangering.</p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-employees-make-pay-salary-software-engineer-project-manager-2020-10?r=tl-sub">REVEALED: How much Tesla pays its employees, from software engineers to product managers</a></em></p><p>The police said authorities tried to collect as many of the battery cells as they could, spending roughly three hours investigating and cleaning up. But on Wednesday the department <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CorvallisPoliceDepartment/posts/1980904785386064">told residents</a> to be on the lookout for "potentially hazardous batteries" that could stay hot for up to 24 hours and emit toxic fumes and chemicals.</p><div type="image" title="Tesla battery cells" height="720" width="960" msid="79311472" hostid="261"></div><p>Batteries overheating is always a problem when it comes to EVs, and it's more likely to occur when the cells leave their protective pack and cooling system.</p><p><a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/12848-lithiumionsafetyhybrids_101217-v3-tag.pdf">Studies have found</a> that EVs are no more likely to catch fire than combustion-engine cars and that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-facing-scrutiny-for-car-fires-but-more-ice-fires-2019-5">they might actually be statistically safer</a>.</p><p>That the driver sustained only minor injuries may be a testament to the Model 3's passenger safety, but an EV spewing burning batteries into the environment and through windows may not be a good sign for those outside the car.</p><p>Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p>

100-mph Tesla Model 3 crash sent hundreds of scorching battery cells flying, started a fire in a house, and took 3 hours to clean up

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n5Wf7TlGrU">North American Heavy Rescue Symposium, YouTube</a></span></p><p class="caption">Professionals burn a Tesla to demonstrate how to put out a high voltage battery vehicle fire.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Several <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/tesla">Tesla</a> vehicles have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-updates-battery-software-after-a-shanghai-hong-kong-fires-2019-5">caught fire recently</a>, spurring concerns that the cars and their batteries are hazardous.</li><li>The statistics about electric-vehicle fires aren't worrying, but <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-stock-price-analyst-cuts-target-as-demand-concerns-pile-up-2019-5-1028204868">Tesla</a> attracts a lot of attention, so every reported fire has been scrutinized.</li><li>In fact, more than 170,000 vehicles, including both electric and internal combustion cars, caught fire between 2014-2016. And those fires were just in the US, <a href="https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v19i2.pdf">according to 2018 data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)</a>. (Fewer than 1% involved fatalities.)</li><li>Some 60% of the fatal vehicle fires FEMA tracked were due to a collision; the remainder were caused by other factors.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p><br />A minor panic has set in about Teslas catching fire, with several recent incidents in the US, China, and Hong Kong.</p><p>Some of the fires are under investigation because the vehicles appear to have combusted for no obvious reason. There is always a small risk of overheating with the types of batteries that Tesla and other vehicles use, but the unexplained fires are worrisome.</p><p>However, it's always worth noting that electric vehicles are considered statistically no more likely to burst into flames than gas-powered cars. And they might be statistically safer; it's difficult to tell now, as their sample sizes are dwarfed by internal-combustion (ICE) cars.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/12848-lithiumionsafetyhybrids_101217-v3-tag.pdf">National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sponsored a study</a> on the questions of electric vehicles and fires in 2017, which concluded that "the propensity and severity of fires and explosions from the accidental ignition of flammable electrolytic solvents used in [lithium-ion] battery systems are anticipated to be somewhat comparable to or perhaps slightly less than those for gasoline or diesel vehicular fuels."</p><p>Still, a combination of a very human fear of fire and Tesla's outsized position in the global auto industry has led to a predictable fixation on its runaway thermal occurrences, to borrow the technical term for battery fires.</p><p>Tesla has generally been proactive in dealing with fires. The company shielded its early battery packs for the Model S sedan to protect them from road damage that could lead to combustion, and it <a href="https://www.tesla.com/firstresponders">advises emergency crews</a> to douse battery conflagrations with thousands of gallons of water (foam, a means of fighting gas fires, can be used if water isn't available, but only to keep the blaze at bay). The carmaker also helps responders to deal with the voltages in Tesla vehicles when conducting rescues, and in reaction to recent fires, it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-updates-battery-software-after-a-shanghai-hong-kong-fires-2019-5">updated vehicle software</a>.</p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong>: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-tesla-should-go-into-stealth-mode-for-the-rest-of-2019-2019-5" data-analytics-position="3">It's time for Tesla to go into stealth mode for the rest of 2019</a></em></p><h2>Electric cars could end up being safer than ICE cars</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Wikimedia Commons</span></p><p class="caption">Gas-powered cars also catch fire.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Electric vehicles have the potential to be safer than their gas-powered relatives. But as far as lowering fire risk is concerned, we won't have any definitive sense of whether EVs are better until there are many more on the road, or until solid-state batteries replace lithium-ion units.</p><p>The drivetrain of an EV is far simpler than what you'd find in an internal-combustion car: a large lithium-ion battery pack, made up of smaller cells (thousands, in Tesla's case) sends power to one or more electric motors to move the wheels.</p><p>Contrast that with the hundreds of millions petrol vehicles on the road today. The internal-combustion engine requires a tank filled with an extremely volatile, flammable liquid; that liquid is then pumped under great pressure to an engine where, typically, it's mixed with air, sprayed into combustion chambers, ignited, and exploded, over and over and over again.</p><p>The energy from the fuel is transformed from potential power to kinetic power, with the up-down movement of the cylinders mechanically converted from linear motion to rotational motion, routed to the wheels through several shafts and a transmission packed with gears.</p><p>Rube Goldberg would be impressed. It's a testament to the skill of engineers that this entire clattering apparatus doesn't fly apart due to its own violent nature. Oh, wait, internal combustion engines can literally blow themselves to pieces. These days, that's usually in a race car being driven under extreme conditions on a track, but old-timers such as yours truly can remember when motors would throw a rod, blow a head gasket, seize up, or when cars would burn after their gas tanks were compromised.</p><p>They also sometimes combust when they're just sitting around. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/business/bmw-recall-fire.html">BMW recalled about a million cars in 2017</a> to address such a risk - which is, in fairness, extremely low in modern automobiles. Gas-vehicle fires are also easier to extinguish, while fires from electric-vehicle batteries can burn for hours or even days, sometimes reigniting after firefighters think the blaze is over (this happened with a Tesla earlier this year in Florida.)</p><h2>The problem with thinking that engineering is magic</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>USC/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Get under the hod and learn something!</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Not grasping that an automobile is a type of well-managed detonation leads to magical thinking and toxic misunderstandings. But if you know even just a little bit about engineering, you understand that an electric vehicle's technology is not that much different from your iPhone or laptop meeting up with a blender. In fact, a Tesla car is basically a large remote-control car, it's just too challenging for a child to operate.</p><p>My father and uncle were both engineers, and my grandfather was an amateur mechanic, so I grew up around the demystification of machines. But I don't think my insights are unique. Anyone can plainly see that the design of an electric vehicle is potentially safer than an internal-combustion car. (That takes nothing away from the engineers who have been working on ICE cars for decades; they've created magnificent levels of safety from a dangerous initial idea.)</p><p>Still, it's worth considering that to get my iPhone battery to spark and burn, I'd have to smash it with something heavy, a lot, and it might not combust (the battery also might malfunction on its own and short-circuit). Whereas all I need to do to ignite gasoline is strike a match.</p><p>Look, I get it. Runaway thermal events, a.k.a. battery fires, are scary - more so because thermal runaway with lithium-ion batteries can happen in seemingly random ways. There have been Tesla accidents that have involved fires and tragic loss of life.</p><p>Adding to the concern is that electric cars are a new thing. And new things provoke anxiety. The danger of internal-combustion engines is something we've lived with for over 100 years. We've seen Indy 500 race cars explode in flames; we've witnessed countless cars blow up in movies; and many of us witnessed a burning vehicle on the road. Experience is our guide, and experience can be far more powerful, with justification, than reason.</p><h2>We should pay more attention to gas-vehicle fires - but there are way too many of them</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://pictures.reuters.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&amp;VBID=2C0BXZ0ZPSNXU&amp;SMLS=1&amp;RW=2048&amp;RH=1036">REUTERS/TIM WIMBORNE</a></span></p><p class="caption">A parking lot full of cars.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Every single automaker on Earth builds and sells vehicles that can and do catch fire. But Tesla gets most of the attention when its vehicles catch fire.</p><p>Yes, this is partly driven by the incidents where Tesla cars have ignited without any apparent reason. But it's also because of the media's tendency to report news on anything and everything, good and bad, about the carmaker.</p><p>CEO Elon Musk points this out all the time. He argues that journalists should cover vehicles that aren't Teslas when they catch fire, under whatever circumstances, because there are so many more gas-powered car fires annually.</p><p>OK, point taken. But that would be quite difficult. Why? Because <a href="https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v19i2.pdf">according to 2018 data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)</a>, 171,500 "highway vehicles" of various types caught fire in the US alone between 2014-2016. One in eight fires that fire departments respond to is a vehicle fire, FEMA reported.</p><p>That's 157 vehicle fires <em>per day.</em> You'd need some pretty diligent robot journalists to keep track of that much carnage. (As for EV fires, Business Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-tesla-cars-catch-on-fire-2019-4">counted 20 Tesla fires since 2013</a>, while Chevy dealt with at least one fire in its Volt hybrid-electric vehicle in 2011 by recalling the car. Other automakers have seen a small number of fires since EVs began to hit to road in appreciable numbers since 2010, with Fisker Automotive losing 16 stored vehicles that were flooded by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.)</p><p>I'm not going to entirely let Tesla off the hook here. As the company builds and sells more cars, it's possible that its fire stats will become significant, at which point the design of its batteries might be legitimately questioned.</p><p>But you know who'll do that? Engineers. And they might still conclude that EVs are comparatively safer than what we've been driving our kids around in for more than 100 years.</p><p class="tagline">Get the latest Tesla stock price<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/TSLA-Quote"> <strong>here.</strong></a></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-robotaxi-app-make-money-repurposing-cars-autonomous-2019-4">Elon Musk says Tesla owners could make up to $30,000 a year turning their cars into 'robotaxis'</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

You Searched For "EV fire hazards" and got 7 results

Buying an EV may be a somewhat dangerous move if you live near the sea

BI India Bureau

Planning to purchase an EV? Here's how to ensure it never catches on fire

Ankush Banerjee

Viral videos of EVs catching fire after Hurricane Helene raise safety concerns in Florida

Catherine Boudreau

A Tesla owner said he heard a 'hissing' sound from the battery before it caught on fire in his garage

Jyoti Mann

See photos from the Tesla Model S that 'spontaneously' caught fire while driving down the highway

Grace Kay

100-mph Tesla Model 3 crash sent hundreds of scorching battery cells flying, started a fire in a house, and took 3 hours to clean up

Tim Levin

Tesla is facing scrutiny for its cars catching on fire, but electric cars could actually end up being safer than gas-powered cars

Matthew DeBord

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