Electric Vehicles Catch Fire After Exposure to Saltwater from Hurricane Idalia
Florida residents who were already suffering from Hurricane Idalia this week may not have anticipated the additional risk that floodwaters could cause their cars to suddenly catch fire.
But that’s exactly what occurred when two electric cars caught fire after being dragged through storm-churned waters. Firefighters in Palm Harbor, Florida, used the two Tesla-related events as evidence to warn owners that their rechargeable car batteries can catch fire if they are exposed to saltwater.
It is critical to remove your hybrid or electric car as soon as possible from your garage if it has been exposed to seawater as a result of significant flooding within the past 24 hours, the agency advised.
Lithium-ion battery combustion can be brought on by exposure to saltwater. Transfer your car to a higher location if you can.
The warning also applies to electric bicycles, scooters, and golf carts because wet lithium-ion batteries could catch fire. To be more precise, salt residue that is left behind after the water evaporates can build bridges between the battery’s cells and possibly result in electrical connections that could start a fire.
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Saltwater Can Corrode Electric Vehicle Batteries and Cause Fires
Lithium-ion battery packs are made up of a number of cells arranged in a compartment and contain an electrolyte that is flammable. Batteries with more cells and higher energy are more susceptible to failure.
According to Palm Harbor Fire Rescue training chief Jason Haynes, one of the automobiles, a Tesla that had been submerged in Pinellas County, Florida, burst into flames while fire crews were towing it.
Tesla advises against driving a car that has been flooded and issues warnings to car owners about the dangers of submersion.
The fact that fires associated with a wet lithium-ion battery don’t always start right away emphasizes the significance of having a vehicle that has absorbed water checked out by a specialist.
Some EV owners don’t know about the dangers of flooding.
Electric vehicles are not inherently more dangerous than gas-powered cars and trucks, according to Andrew Klock, head of electric vehicle training for firefighters for the National Fire Protection Association, provided that everyone, from drivers to emergency responders, is aware of how to handle flooding incidents.
Even firefighters might not know how to put out an EV battery fire safely. They frequently fail to guide the water to the correct location, which for electric cars would be the area under the chassis where the batteries reside.
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Source: CBS News
