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Electric Cars Flooded and on Fire After Hurricane Milton

Electric Cars Flooded and on Fire After Hurricane Milton

Saltwater conducts electricity, so if it enters one of the sealed lithium-ion batteries used in cars and many other devices, it can cause a short circuit.

Canal Motor

Lunes, 14 de octubre 2024, 08:25

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Downed power lines, devastated buildings and infrastructure, leaking natural gas pipes, chemical spills are some of the most visible consequences in Florida's coastal areas after Hurricane Milton.

But this phenomenon has left another problem, the potential spontaneous combustion of electric vehicles after saltwater flooding caused by the storm surge.

It's true that not all electric cars catch fire after being submerged in saltwater, but according to the Miami Herald, insurance claims for this potential issue have increased. The government of Pinellas County itself published on its social media the video of a car that caught fire in a garage after being flooded with saltwater.

This is because saltwater conducts electricity, so if it enters one of the sealed lithium-ion batteries used in cars and many other devices, it can cause a short circuit, generating heat and potentially a fire.

Car manufacturers, firefighters, and institutions have issued warnings to electric vehicle owners before the devastation caused by Hurricane Milton, and Jimmy Patronis, Florida's Chief Fire Officer, issued a statement last Monday detailing a series of fires following Hurricane Helene, which flooded much of the Gulf Coast just two weeks ago. Tesla also sent an automatic notification to cars warning their owners to move to higher ground.

The mayor of Tampa, Jane Castor, also explained that there was a hypothesis that a house on Davis Islands had burned down after Hurricane Helene due to an electric vehicle fire. "Water and ion batteries don't mix and literally explode," she explained.

The storm surge raised the number of recorded lithium battery fires to 64, with electric vehicles accounting for 17 of them. The rest were devices like scooters, electric skateboards, and golf carts. One fire was even caused by an electric wheelchair.

Although electric cars are not exempt from fire risk, the truth is that according to a recent report prepared by AEDIVE (Business Association for the Development and Promotion of Electric Mobility in Spain and Portugal) in collaboration with companies and institutions specialized in the field, electric vehicle batteries cause far fewer fires than combustion vehicles.

Moreover, current statistics from countries with high penetration of electric vehicles reflect that the probability of an electric vehicle catching fire is lower than that of a combustion vehicle - relative to the total number of vehicles.

The report clarifies that while lithium-ion batteries can present fire risks, these can be eliminated or controlled through proper design, implementation of advanced monitoring systems, and adoption of rigorous safety measures.

In a lithium battery, due to its own physical-chemical configuration, exothermic reactions occur during its operation. Installers and integrators of equipment with batteries must be aware of the associated risks and work with technologists to understand the particularities of each battery in terms of risk control.

The intrinsic safety of the battery is related to the safety of the cells that compose it. "The concept of safety must be incorporated from the beginning: in engineering, design, and manufacturing, including necessary controls throughout the process," says the report.

In a battery, the origin of a fire and/or thermal runaway is located in a specific cell. From this start point, the risk is that the fire spreads to the cell pack and then to adjacent packs, forming a chain reaction that can lead to "thermal runaway." The risk can be minimized if propagation is quickly cut off. Therefore, battery design includes isolation systems in different parts, controlling propagation risk.

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