Electric mobility is hot, but its lithium-ion batteries are burning

[rcjordan]

(My newsfeeds say Tesla had 3 vehicle fires last week.) These borderline-unstable batteries burn fast and white-hot like an arc welder. My concern is that fire detection in a garage might be too late. When I get an EV, I told the family that all charging will definitely be outside and the EV is likely to be kept outside.

https://thenextweb.com/news/how-bad-is-the-problem-of-lithium-ion-battery-fires

[Rupert]

A mate in the fire service pointed this out to me a year or so ago.

He thinks ultimately hydrogen is the answer.  Very fire biased, but with H2 he just needs to blow air at 10m/sec over a fire, and it goes out.  (I might be out on the speed, thats my memory, but he thought it very achievable)

A battery fire OTOH has to be isolated  in a compound, as it can burst into flames days after they think it is out. The logistics of moving it etc he tells me is a nightmare.

The power is still in the battery, and once damaged, only need a small short as it cools/drys/heats/cools whatever... and boom all over again.

Hydrogen can be used in the current ICUs too. 

We have discussed the manufacturers championing this, but it seems Electric is still the popular one.

[rcjordan]

from hubitat thread:

"I worked with the engineering staff at GE Battery in Gainesville FL when they were working on production of the early Lith batteries. To a man, the engineers there were scared to death of these batteries. It was explained to me way back then that exposure to only air would be catastrophic. This is a proven fact. You just can't put the fires out with conventional methods. .... When these E cars age, it's going to be a very bad thing."

[Rupert]

Ageing had not even crossed my mind.... lets hope they all dye empty.

[Brad]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/27/tesla-catches-fire-vancouver-canada-investigation?CMP=twt_gu#Echobox=1653729671

[rcjordan]

Battery pack ignites at Rivian factory Saturday
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/battery-pack-ignites-at-rivian-saturday/

[Travoli]

E-Bikes and Scooters Are Catching Fire, Both In Popularity and Literally

https://www.rideapart.com/features/612267/ebike-escooter-battery-fire-safety/?fbclid=IwAR1bhA8XW1rK2H7S074zRUqa3kBuNUI1BO23TqaMn3bu77XdpvDUH9tcoCk

Guess I'll only charge my e-bikes while I'm home.

[rcjordan]

>at home

I have 5 18v li-on batteries for my power tools. Between uses they stay in the chargers ready-to-go. I try to keep the chargers air-gapped on top of metal toolboxes out in the garage and the ceilings are 11 feet high and a good distance away.  But still, I consider them a risk and thinking that I should move them to a big deck box outside.

[rcjordan]

Spirit flight diverted after battery fire in overhead bin | AP News

https://apnews.com/article/spirit-airlines-flight-259-diverted-fire-e867e93b7d762c3fb0a77bcf92688c96

[ergophobe]

Heard a report on the radio a couple days ago about electric bikes causing a dozen apartment fires in NYC last year.

[rcjordan]

>causing a dozen apartment fires in NYC last year

IIRC, it ended up at 22 or 23 fires

[rcjordan]

"The batteries sparked more than 200 fires in New York City last year alone, killing six people and injuring nearly 150. That's double the amount of battery fires in 2021, according to the FDNY. "


Lithium-ion battery blamed for yet another fast-moving fire, NYC officials say

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lithium-ion-battery-blamed-yet-another-fast-moving-fire-nyc-officials-rcna73566

[rcjordan]

+
FDNY Union Chief: e-bike Battery Fire Smoke May Be as Dangerous as 9/11 Toxins

https://www.fireengineering.com/firefighting/fdny-union-chief-e-bike-battery-fire-smoke-may-be-as-dangerous-as-911-toxins/

[rcjordan]

Calls rise for lithium-ion battery regulations as fires multiply

https://www.axios.com/2023/03/31/battery-fires-regulation-new-york-city-lithium-ion

[rcjordan]

U.S. Recalls 53,000 Hoverboards After Reports of Fires - The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/us/jetson-hoverboard-recall-fire-deaths.html