I think the problem is the fires keep reigniting and they have to be doused with water constantly or they drop the car in a big container full of water and let it sit there for a few weeks is one way they have been tackling the problem.
Those battery packs are basically a tray, a bunch of batteries inside the tray, and then a cap on top with fusing and sealant around the outside. Once salt water impinges the battery pack it’s basically impossible to apply any firefighting material to the actual source of the fire. It burns like an incense and then gets more intense as the fire spreads within the pack.
Good point. Also brings up another question- normal car batteries don’t last as long/corrode faster in FL due to humidity and salty air. So, does that mean even without storms the EVs will die faster than expected?
Car batteries are usually lead/acid ones which wont catch fire in water, but Li-On batteries will catch fire.
Lithium is a monofuel which doesn't need oxygen to burn and reacts very badly exposed to water, and exposure to the air is problematic as well.
The best way to put them out is to bury them in dry sand or earth, but where is this in an area that's just been flooded out? A firefighters nightmare.
If saltwater's a problem, the Northern states will have similar problems, because they salt the roads in the winter to keep the snow and ice levels down.
Normal cars have problems with rust from that; EVs may also have problems with battery fires.
We'll see!
Of course, cold weather isn't great for EVs in another way: battery performance drops in severe cold and the only heating source for the passenger compartment is electric, slashing range.
I had an electric car toy as a child. It ran on an AA battery, and I had the bright idea to plug it into the wall. Went really fast before tripping the breaker. xD
And they still haven’t figure it out anyway to put these fires out. Isn’t there any type of chemical they can use to help put them out, like something with a baking soda type substance, to neutralize the acid. They knew this was coming, but nobody’s even thought about it. Why would they… They don’t want you to have a car and be able to go anywhere. So if your lights up and burns out, that’s the whole point.
Hoses can’t extinguish these batteries once there’s a runaway fire. Protecting exposures is the only way. Unless like a few places in Europe they have containers with water they pick up the car and place them into.
The batteries can be extinguished but smothering agents can be placed Under the car on top of the packs to omit air.
Did a firefighting EV class a few months ago. Looking forward to my first one. Keep the fire to the car and babysit. Will be interesting for the first couple hours.
in water the top reaction goes speedy and you get lots of heat, hydrogen gas and very strong base (alkali) water solution. exposed Li metal floating on water can get hot enough to ignite the hydrogen. In the right proportions and enclosure the hydrogen can go BOOM or flare with a pretty pink flame. Ingesting the lithium hydroxide (water) will also take care of the terror caused upon realizing that dumping more water on a lithium fire does not put it out. Lithium salts are very reactive neurologically- very convenient indeed.
Reeeeeeeee lol
oh yea... salt water and batteries really don't go hand-in-hand!
Aren’t they supposed to be using foam for lithium fires? If I know that then all firemen should know that by now.
I think the problem is the fires keep reigniting and they have to be doused with water constantly or they drop the car in a big container full of water and let it sit there for a few weeks is one way they have been tackling the problem.
Those battery packs are basically a tray, a bunch of batteries inside the tray, and then a cap on top with fusing and sealant around the outside. Once salt water impinges the battery pack it’s basically impossible to apply any firefighting material to the actual source of the fire. It burns like an incense and then gets more intense as the fire spreads within the pack.
Good point. Also brings up another question- normal car batteries don’t last as long/corrode faster in FL due to humidity and salty air. So, does that mean even without storms the EVs will die faster than expected?
Possibly, I'd be surprised that they don't have the battery pack in at least a 'water resistant' casing, if not 'waterproof'.
What surprises me is that they don't have a better solution to the chemical fire than adding more water...
Car batteries are usually lead/acid ones which wont catch fire in water, but Li-On batteries will catch fire.
Lithium is a monofuel which doesn't need oxygen to burn and reacts very badly exposed to water, and exposure to the air is problematic as well.
The best way to put them out is to bury them in dry sand or earth, but where is this in an area that's just been flooded out? A firefighters nightmare.
I thought it was something like that, and having firefighters prepared with a dump truck of sand is probably also not practical.
Just addit to the list of reasons why EVs are not the savior it was sold.
They could be if they were built using hemp. Not a joke fren, see here.
https://phys.org/news/2014-08-hemp-nanosheets-topple-graphene-ideal.html
I was aware of that one, also the nano-diamond batteries that generate a charge through decay of radioactive material.
My thought was that dude should open source that one as a suicide prevention, if it works as advertised.
SAND + LITHIUM ION BATERY--------------> GLASS MOUND 😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣😍😎😎😎😎😎
True enough... if it burns for days and soaks up thousands of gallons of water, I guess, best to hope that they don't get too many of them in one day.
Now imagine that $80,000 EV parked in the garage of your $500,000 home when it goes up… nope…
If saltwater's a problem, the Northern states will have similar problems, because they salt the roads in the winter to keep the snow and ice levels down.
Normal cars have problems with rust from that; EVs may also have problems with battery fires.
We'll see!
Of course, cold weather isn't great for EVs in another way: battery performance drops in severe cold and the only heating source for the passenger compartment is electric, slashing range.
Brings new meaning to the ESG promotion "backfire".
Useless for anything but a toy.
I had an electric car toy as a child. It ran on an AA battery, and I had the bright idea to plug it into the wall. Went really fast before tripping the breaker. xD
all of my RC cars run with little nitro mix powered engines.
I had a Barbie Jeep when I was five, after the battery died my parents never replaced it because it was too expensive lol XD
And they still haven’t figure it out anyway to put these fires out. Isn’t there any type of chemical they can use to help put them out, like something with a baking soda type substance, to neutralize the acid. They knew this was coming, but nobody’s even thought about it. Why would they… They don’t want you to have a car and be able to go anywhere. So if your lights up and burns out, that’s the whole point.
They need the foam used at airports to snuff it out.
Thanks for the info.
Hoses can’t extinguish these batteries once there’s a runaway fire. Protecting exposures is the only way. Unless like a few places in Europe they have containers with water they pick up the car and place them into.
The batteries can be extinguished but smothering agents can be placed Under the car on top of the packs to omit air.
Did a firefighting EV class a few months ago. Looking forward to my first one. Keep the fire to the car and babysit. Will be interesting for the first couple hours.
Lets drop the EVs off at Martha's Vineyard :)
Just let it fucking burn
2Li + 2H2O → 2LiOH + H2
4Li + O2 → 2Li2O
6Li + N2 → 2Li3N
in water the top reaction goes speedy and you get lots of heat, hydrogen gas and very strong base (alkali) water solution. exposed Li metal floating on water can get hot enough to ignite the hydrogen. In the right proportions and enclosure the hydrogen can go BOOM or flare with a pretty pink flame. Ingesting the lithium hydroxide (water) will also take care of the terror caused upon realizing that dumping more water on a lithium fire does not put it out. Lithium salts are very reactive neurologically- very convenient indeed.
Oh the snowy salty roads of the rust belt.
love the ev hateful truth on here lately. good job seriously. can't stand them fuckin things.