Why do electric vehicles catch fire?
Every few months we come across a story about an electric vehicle catching fire. Yes, they are dangerous and can ignite spontaneously. But the question that first comes to mind is why electric vehicles (EVs) catch fire. If you are planning to buy an electric car, this article may be useful to you. Let’s dive in.
Why do electric vehicles catch fire?
Electric vehicles are exciting, new and vastly different from regular internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. However, the fear of battery fires has accompanied the rise of EVs as a whole. Electric vehicles are powered by lithium-ion batteries. The same type of technology powers all kinds of devices, from your phones, smartwatch, scooter, laptop or the latest Tesla.
However, electric cars have significantly larger battery packs. They have high-tech cooling systems to keep them at the ideal temperature while driving. Batteries store tons of energy in a small space, and electric cars quickly drain the battery. As a result, EV battery packs can get quite hot. However, cooling systems keep everything under control. According to ReviewGeek, most EV battery fires are due to faulty designs, thermal runaways, short circuits, accidental penetration, or some other type of failure.
See also: Electric vehicles may act as back-up power plants in the near future
Chinese EV maker Nio said the fires were due to a short circuit. As for the Chevy Bolt EV, GM explained that “GM and LG have identified the presence of two rare simultaneous defects, found in the same battery cell, created during the module manufacturing process.”
Fire alarms from electric vehicles are undoubtedly often exaggerated. However, gas cars are worse than an electric car, data suggesting that hybrid vehicles are most at risk.
