SCARY.......Lithium Battery Fires!!

[roadtreckparts]

I'm curious to know your thoughts. So, in electric cars, how many fires verses gas cars do you think there are. I mean are we nervous just because it's new, or is the threat less or more then what we are accustomed to.

 

[roadtreckparts]

I own a Tesla, and just to give my perspective. My car has not lite on fire yet. It costs me about $10 to fill up. It accelerates from 0 to 60 in under 3 seconds, I don't need to change the oil. It's my most favorite car that I've ever owned. I've personally seen more gas cars on fire then Teslas. I think Tesla has the battery stuff well figured out, (other manufacturers I'm not so sure about).

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Mine phone uses two 9V.

I don't think fires are scary, I think the potential for spontaneous combustion is. There's certainly more gasoline powered vehicle fires, largely (just kidding, exclusively) due to the fact that there's more gasoline powered vehicles. I certainly think Tesla is ahead of the curve in battery safety (being non-union no doubt helps) but it's still a work in progress. I used to have a need for speed when I was 16, in my 20's when I could afford it, I had a ZX10R, 47mpg, $300/yr to insure, under $12K, 0-60 in mid 2's, my best E.T. was 9.9X at a tick over 150 with the front dialed down and rear tire pressure set perfectly, it did cost me about $12 to fill up though. Quick acceleration has always been available, Tesla has presented it in such a way that skill is no longer required.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

Answering Neal’s question about battery type in phones.

Phone batteries are almost always one of the more energy dense chemistries, hence riskier chemistries. Not sure of the recent phones, but a few years back Apple was using LiCoO2.

These higher energy dense chemistries are also the ones that can change size as they discharge/charge. Hence why we will see these batteries “swell”.

 

[Joe Hogan]

I'm curious to know your thoughts. So, in electric cars, how many fires verses gas cars do you think there are. I mean are we nervous just because it's new, or is the threat less or more then what we are accustomed to.

I think folks would be surprised how many gasoline powered vehicles burn to the ground every week. However, Fire Response units know how to deal with these.

In 2021, there were around 174,000 highway vehicle fires reported in the United States. This is a slight increase from the previous year, where there were 173,000 highway vehicle fires reported across the country.

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

There are approximately 250 million vehicles on the road in the US and less than 1% are EVs. I feel comfortable wagering there are many more ICE fires every year than EV fires. The question should be, what percentage of EV fires versus ICE fires of the total vehicles on the market?

 

[Joe Hogan]

Here is a friend’s gasoline powered vehicle that literally just burst into flames while parked this fall. straight gasoline powered tech.
it happens

 

[AbdRahim]

Anybody know what battery is in your phone?

The Chinese, in all of their wisdom (cough, cough), do not reveal the chemistry of the battery. They say standard Li ion battery. Duh!!

 

[AbdRahim]

What is the most common cause of gasoline powered car fires?

 

[Voyageurs]

There are approximately 250 million vehicles on the road in the US and less than 1% are EVs. I feel comfortable wagering there are many more ICE fires every year than EV fires. The question should be, what percentage of EV fires versus ICE fires of the total vehicles on the market?

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Does that chart factor age or is it including 1981 MY ICE cars vs. 2022 MY electric cars? Are those collision related fires, spontaneous fires or both?

 

[Voyageurs]

Does that chart factor age or is it including 1981 MY ICE cars vs. 2022 MY electric cars? Are those collision related fires, spontaneous fires or both?

.

Government data show gasoline vehicles are up to 100x more prone to fires than EVs

Aside from the argument that gasoline vehicles operate via combustion, a study shows how prevalent gas vehicle fires are compared to EVs.

electrek.co

 

[Bigblockyeti]

That chart indicates of ICE and battery vehicles, the electrics were the problems in all but the Mclaren. This would tend to reinforce that a tank of gasoline is safer than a battery.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Anybody know what battery is in your phone?

Yes! And I never, worth repeating, never put it next to my head! And those Bluetooth headphones! Never!

 

[AbdRahim]

Yes! And I never, worth repeating, never put it next to my head! And those Bluetooth headphones! Never!

You are too much of a purist. Did they not find, years ago, that a little electric stimulation of the brain was good Treatment for depression. Happy juice!

 

[Kevin D Pem]

.

Government data show gasoline vehicles are up to 100x more prone to fires than EVs

Aside from the argument that gasoline vehicles operate via combustion, a study shows how prevalent gas vehicle fires are compared to EVs.

electrek.co

So when we talk recalls we're not talking fires! That may be the cause for the recall, but not the number of fires!

You can, as seems to be the case, for any failed policy now days, leave data out to make your case. However there is always going to be someone that properly checks the data!!!

So! What are the cause of fires in EVs? And why do they burn so well? I leave the answer to you!

Why do ICE vehicles catch fire? It appears that all but a few recalls indicate electrical would be the causation! So why do they burn so well? Well because so much effort has been spent to isolate the fuel, most don't involve the fuel tanks erupting! This means that unlike EVs the power source is not involved!!!

But let us not leave out the 1 in 100!!! Seems that the statistics say there are 26 million EVs on our roads when compared to the 286 million cars according to US statistics, on the road!!! There are more EVs having fire issues than IC vehicles, when we understand the the above article was fraudulent from the get go.

To finish this up, My money is on the EV market leading those numbers if,and that is a big if!!! They continue to increase, and maybe, overtake IC sales.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

So guys, if you bought your toy because you thought it was neat! Have fun with it!!! If you bought it to save money, save the world, or because you believed it was safe, you have been snookered, there is really no other way to say it!!!

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

Why do ICE vehicles catch fire? It appears that all but a few recalls indicate electrical would be the causation! So why do they burn so well? Well because so much effort has been spent to isolate the fuel, most don't involve the fuel tanks erupting!

In reviewing various sources (trying to find neutral sources) i found it interesting that when “car” people think and rank car fires, they aren’t really talking about empirical data but anecdotal data. What intrigued me is that a large portion of these “notable” cars have high performance: ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini. More power, more energy, more risk? A few EVs are included such as early Tesla Model S and of course some of the ICE learning lessons like the pinto and Vega. One such article was from Car & Driver.

Over the past 100 years the gasoline engine and systems have matured and refined. Regulations have come around dictating safety standards (especially after cars such as the pinto). As a result we have safer cars (and more expensive).

EVs are still in the early days. I fully expect safety standards will be developed and we will get better and safer cars.

I would like to see empirical data on ev miles vs fires and ice miles/fires. Always open to learning and excited to see change and improvements in the future for all energy modes of transportation.

Full disclosure: we do not have an EV, but drive an ICE SUV that gets 20mpg if we are lucky and a SuperC diesel that gets 7mpg.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

In reviewing various sources (trying to find neutral sources) i found it interesting that when “car” people think and rank car fires, they aren’t really talking about empirical data but anecdotal data. What intrigued me is that a large portion of these “notable” cars have high performance: ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini. A few EVs and of course some of the learning lessons like the pinto and Vega. One such article was from Car & Driver.

Over the past 100 years the gasoline engine and systems have matured and refined. Regulations have come around dictating safety standards (especially after cars such as the pinto). As a result we have safer cars (and more expensive).

EVs are still in the early days. I fully expect safety standards will be developed and we will get better and safer cars.

I would like to see empirical data on ev miles vs fires and ice miles/fires. Always open to learning and excited to see change and improvements in the future for all energy modes of transportation.

Full disclosure: we do not have an EV, but drive an ICE SUV that gets 20mpg if we are lucky and a SuperC diesel that gets 7mpg.

One of the EV fires on record was a test run by Tesla on the test track. The test pushed the Tesla beyond engineering data limits. The fire would hardly be considered a statistical number. The fact that it was published makes me hold Tesla above the competition.

When I know about such a case, I wonder why one would put a hitch on a Tesla!!! You could say they are running the same test, hoping for different results!!! Maybe it's just me

 

[TheLooks]

I knew Voyageurs would jump in before I could. lol Lets further investigate these fires shall we? Tell me how many ICE cars catch fire because of the gasoline. As AbdRahim said above......You guys like to cherry pick and cheer on the EV's. But I could just as well tell you that I will not die in a plane crash.....because I don't fly. It does not mean they don't and won't crash. Just part of the deception employed to cover the fires that do happen. And they are spectacular when they do. So, gasoline does not cause car fires generally. I think you will find it is electrical problems instead. And that is what we are talking about, electrical fires.

No, Millions of Cars Are Not Catching Fire Every Year

A New York Times story about U.S. car fires references a study that gets the frequency wrong by a factor of at least 60.

www.caranddriver.com