Electric Vehicle Battery Fires

Unlike traditional gas powered vehicles, the lithium ion batteries in electric vehicles pose new fire hazards that are incredibly dangerous. Lithium ion batteries are known to spontaneously combust into an explosive fire which is almost impossible to extinguish. Firefighters are now dealing with new challenges of trying to put out EV fires that can require thousands of gallons more water, can burn for hours or even days, and which may even require special hazmat crews. Some cars need to be entirely submerged in a tank of water to quench the fire. These fires pose new hazards for the firefighters and also tow truck drivers who respond to accidents. Fires can reignite in damaged vehicles even months after a crash. Furthermore the extreme intensity of the fire causes more injury and fatalities for motorists who are involved in a crash. Sometimes a minor accident like bumping into a curb can cause an ignition of the battery. Sometimes these batteries can ignite just by overheating in what is called “thermal runaway”.

The batteries being used in “Tesla” EVs have been catching fire while people are driving. One motorist who noticed his car smoking had to break the window to escape because the car had lost power and he couldn’t unlock the doors. He just barely made it out alive before his car turned into a ball of flames. Sometimes the heat of these fires can ignite the batteries of other electric vehicles in the area causing a chain reaction that can’t be stopped. Batteries also catch fire while recharging and have set fire to homes and buildings. This poses a significant danger for people who charge their cars overnight in their garage or driveway while they are sleeping and for residential buildings that have an indoor parking garage connected to the structure.

EVs are being sold to the public with a marketing campaign that claims they are “clean”, “green”, and having “zero emissions”. Yet the raging fires of these batteries are incredibly dirty as they bellow thick black smoke and release a toxic cloud of emissions which pose a hazard to people and the environment.