Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Hurricane Ian and EV Fires

edn.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 26 posts

Re: Hurricane Ian and EV Fires

#11

Post by rcxdude »

jtbayly wrote: post #3
_ea1k wrote: post #2

> Try now to imagine an electrically driven vehicle catching fire during Christmas shopping season in mid-December in midtown Manhattan in front of Macy’s department store during rush hour at six o’clock in the evening. Why would I imagine that? This kind of thing happens from time to time with gas cars. Example (picked lazily and randomly): https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/video/car-erupts-in-flames-n... In some resp…

> but they also seem to happen less frequently. Do they? Even comparing only other new cars? I just don’t trust the claims so far.

Here's some data: https://www.autoinsuranceez.com/gas-vs-electric-car-fires/

What's odd is hybrids seem even more likely than petrol cars to catch fire, though EVs are far less likely. I guess the combination gives you the worst of both worlds in terms of fire risk.

Re: Hurricane Ian and EV Fires

#12

Post by stetrain »

So what seems to have happened is that N number of EVs - where N is unconfirmed in any of the articles I have seen but all have the same photo of a white Tesla Model X - which were submerged in salt water storm surge for many hours, experienced battery fires due to this corrosion / conductive water intrusion following a hurricane which had the worst level of storm surge in a populated part of Florida that I can remember in my lifetime.

I know that at least some gas car fires also happened in the aftermath of this storm, submerging even a standard 12v car battery in salt water is inadvisable.

I'm not sure what we can usefully draw from that, other than to avoid leaving EVs in areas expected to be submerged in salt water, but that's generally good advice anyway.

I do think the difference in how these fires are managed versus a gasoline fire should be considered. The most interesting thing I have seen to deal with this is a fire department that just had several car-sized metal dumpsters. Drop the car in the dumpster, fill it with water from a firetruck, and come back in a day or two.

Re: Hurricane Ian and EV Fires

#13

Post by Spooky23 »

This gets blown up because of the anxiety/kickback about EVs. The writing is on the wall that ICE cars are going to if not disappear at least decline.

That’s a big freaking deal as millions of people make their living around cars. The number who will be in the future is a smaller number.

Re: Hurricane Ian and EV Fires

#14

Post by throwthere »

You know what else is prone to ignition? Gasoline.

The article conspicuously ignores gas car fires.

I think the only actual point is that BEVs are more likely to kind of spontaneously combust after corroding? Abs that bev fires are hard to put out.

Re: Hurricane Ian and EV Fires

#15

Post by juunpp »

_ea1k wrote: post #2

> Try now to imagine an electrically driven vehicle catching fire during Christmas shopping season in mid-December in midtown Manhattan in front of Macy’s department store during rush hour at six o’clock in the evening. Why would I imagine that? This kind of thing happens from time to time with gas cars. Example (picked lazily and randomly): https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/video/car-erupts-in-flames-n... In some resp…

It's hilarious how overly specific that case of the imagination is. Would it make any difference if it were a GAP instead of a Macy's? Maybe Macy's burns better.

Re: Hurricane Ian and EV Fires

#16

Post by lazide »

rcxdude wrote: post #11
jtbayly wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but they also seem to happen less frequently. Do they? Even comparing only other new cars? I just don’t trust the claims so far.

Here's some data: https://www.autoinsuranceez.com/gas-vs-electric-car-fires/ What's odd is hybrids seem even more likely than petrol cars to catch fire, though EVs are far less likely. I guess the combination gives you the worst of both worlds in terms of fire risk.

It’s a very complex setup, mechanically and electrically, and yes does expose you to both battery and flammable liquid issues.

It’s amazing it isn’t more of a problem, frankly.

Re: Hurricane Ian and EV Fires

#17

Post by juunpp »

throwthere wrote: post #14

You know what else is prone to ignition? Gasoline. The article conspicuously ignores gas car fires. I think the only actual point is that BEVs are more likely to kind of spontaneously combust after corroding? Abs that bev fires are hard to put out.

It's a poor article. Their top reference is a Fox Business screenshot.

Re: Hurricane Ian and EV Fires

#18

Post by perpocet »

colinsane wrote: post #5

> Try now to imagine an electrically driven vehicle catching fire during Christmas shopping season in mid-December in midtown Manhattan in front of Macy’s department store during rush hour at six o’clock in the evening. sure, sure, the snow in which enough people drive for there to be a rush hour is totally comparable to a hurricane.

As an Oslo resident and occasional christmas mall shopper, I can attest that there has been zero EV fires in relation to this scenario. Neither has there been any serious scenarios started due to an EV. Few fires has started happened to unsafe wall charging with extension or bad circuits not approved for EV charging (Using standard electrical socket charging EVs at personal homes is now outlawed, but not enforced, and installing approved and much faster 16V chargers at homes and garages is a very common selling point in real estate.)

Anecdotally, an airport parking garage burnt down in Stavanger due to a diesel Opel Zafira from aprox 07’ self-catching fire sometime the last two year, it was speculated at that time that it was an EV in media (Sorry no source, easily googleable).

Re: Hurricane Ian and EV Fires

#19

Post by matthewdgreen »

juunpp wrote: post #15
_ea1k wrote: post #2

> Try now to imagine an electrically driven vehicle catching fire during Christmas shopping season in mid-December in midtown Manhattan in front of Macy’s department store during rush hour at six o’clock in the evening. Why would I imagine that? This kind of thing happens from time to time with gas cars. Example (picked lazily and randomly): https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/video/car-erupts-in-flames-n... In some resp…

It's hilarious how overly specific that case of the imagination is. Would it make any difference if it were a GAP instead of a Macy's? Maybe Macy's burns better.

Macy’s is the largest department store in the US. It’s like an entire city block in one of the densest neighborhoods in the country. So lots more street area for things to catch fire, lots more impact when it happens.

Re: Hurricane Ian and EV Fires

#20

Post by evanelias »

juunpp wrote: post #15
_ea1k wrote: post #2

> Try now to imagine an electrically driven vehicle catching fire during Christmas shopping season in mid-December in midtown Manhattan in front of Macy’s department store during rush hour at six o’clock in the evening. Why would I imagine that? This kind of thing happens from time to time with gas cars. Example (picked lazily and randomly): https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/video/car-erupts-in-flames-n... In some resp…

It's hilarious how overly specific that case of the imagination is. Would it make any difference if it were a GAP instead of a Macy's? Maybe Macy's burns better.

Well, to be fair, the Macy's flagship in Herald Square does have historic wooden escalators...
Post reply on HN