Fire officials in Florida sent a warning on Monday, Oct. 7, that electric vehicles (EVs) could be “ticking time bombs” in the wake of Hurricane Milton, which made landfall on Wednesday, Oct. 9. The problem stems from saltwater brought in with the storm surges, and while the issue is rare, the risk is real.
Saltwater is reportedly more corrosive than fresh water and can eat away at the batteries. That causes cells to short-circuit, generate heat and potentially burst into flames.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, officials said that 11 of the lithium-ion battery fires seen after that storm involved EVs.
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Fire officials continued to urge anyone with any products that run on lithium-ion batteries to move them away from structures and make sure they’re unplugged.
If people are not able to get their cars out of the danger zone in time, experts cautioned anyone against trying to drive an EV afterwards, noting that fires can start days or weeks after flooding.
Instead, industry experts advised individuals to get in touch with their car’s manufacturer and let them know that the vehicle has been submerged in saltwater.
Firefighters also said that if a person’s car is in the storm surge zone, and they do not plan to travel, to keep the battery at 30% or less. Firefighters noted that batteries with less of a charge are less likely to start a fire.
Tags: Big Tech, Electric Vehicle Batteries, Electric vehicles, Electricity, Florida, hurricane, Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, Tech, Technology
[JACK AYLMER]
FIRE OFFICIALS IN FLORIDA ARE SENDING A WARNING THAT ELECTRIC VEHICLES COULD BE TICKING TIME BOMBS IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE MILTON.
THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM SALTWATER BROUGHT IN WITH THE STORM SURGES.
AND WHILE THE ISSUE IS RARE, THE RISK IS REAL.
SALTWATER IS MORE CORROSIVE THAN FRESH WATER AND CAN EAT AWAY AT THE BATTERIES CAUSING CELLS TO SHORT-CIRCUIT, GENERATE HEAT– AND BURST INTO FLAMES.
WE SAW THIS HAPPEN DURING HURRICANE HELENE.
OFFICIALS SAY 11 OF THE 48 LITHIUM-ION BATTERY FIRES SEEN AFTER THAT STORM INVOLVED EVS.
FIRE OFFICIALS URGE ANYONE WITH ANY PRODUCTS THAT RUN ON LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES TO MOVE THEM AWAY FROM STRUCTURES AND MAKE SURE THEY’RE UNPLUGGED.
IF YOU CAN’T GET YOUR CAR OUT OF THE DANGER ZONE IN TIME, EXPERTS CAUTION AGAINST TRYING TO DRIVE IT AFTERWARDS.
NOTING, FIRES CAN START DAYS AND EVEN WEEKS AFTER FLOODING.
THEY ADVISE PEOPLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEIR MANUFACTURER FOR AN INSPECTION AND LET THEM KNOW YOUR VEHICLE WAS SUBMERGED IN SALTWATER.
FIREFIGHTERS ALSO SAY IF YOU KNOW YOU’RE CAR IS IN THE STORM SURGE ZONE AND YOU DON’T PLAN TO TRAVEL… KEEP THE BATTERY AT 30 PERCENT OR LESS.
BATTERIES WITH LESS OF A CHARGE ARE ALSO LESS LIKELY TO START ON FIRE.
FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.
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