Posted on 11/23/2011 5:39:27 PM PST by raptor22
Environmental Impacts: An investigation is launched into the possibility of battery fires occurring in crashes involving Government Motors' touted electric car. Industrial policy meets the law of unintended consequences.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced an investigation into the safety of electric cars using lithium batteries, particularly the Chevy Volt, after a battery fire occurred after a side-impact crash test.
It has asked other manufacturers who make electric cars or that plan to do so for information on how they handle lithium-ion batteries. The request also includes recommendations for minimizing fire risk. The feds say this is only precautionary and there is no indication of widespread risk. GM insists the Volt is safe.
The fire didn't break out in the test vehicle until three weeks after the crash. GM says there have been no reports from consumers of battery problems, and the feds say they've been unable to duplicate the fire problem.
But the cumulative road experience of the brand-new and poorly selling vehicle has been limited.
The Volt fire was severe enough to burn vehicles parked nearby. In the crash test, metal punctured the battery.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.investors.com ...
After that Volt caught on fire weeks after an accident, there is no way in hell I would sleep over one in an attached garage.
yes (IMHO)
This is great: We’ve recreated the Pinto in an all electric model!
my firefighter relative told me about this several years ago. He said no way would he own one or ride in one.
When I was seventeen I saw a Volvo ignite and an infant in the back go up with it. Everyone did everything humanly possible to save the child, but that car went up very quickly after being rear-ended.
After using gasoline for the last 80 plus years across the U.S., it’s rather strange to all of a sudden start acting like electric cars are a real threat.
It would seem some policy of disconnecting and staging the batter pack would be a good idea. In time that’s probably what they’ll wind up doing.
People best be careful if they work on them also. There’s a lot of juice flowing through those things.
Every accident I’ve seen involving a Prius (I’ve seen my share, I live in Boulder), they clear the area and call the hazmat team.
Really screws up traffic, worst than the accident.
Yes, that makes sense. I agree with your caution, with regard to those battery packs. There may also be residual charges in systems remote from the pack. That would concern me also.
What risk do these vehicles pose to First responders, and tow operators.
One of the first thing done by fire units on the scene of an accident is to disconnect the battery. This is a big battery, what dangers does it pose to Firefighters and tow operators who will have to disconnect it?
Have the Manufacturers done anything to instruct responding personnel?
Li-Ion laptop battery explosion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjAtBiTSsKY
If this can happen to a laptop think of how large an explosion can occur with a car!
Li-Ion laptop battery explosion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjAtBiTSsKY
If this can happen to a laptop think of how large an explosion can occur with a car!
Holy moly! That is one scary video. That battery reacts much like thermite.
Ping
I call that a hint...
Think ‘carbecue’! What’s really funny is wait until those environutty Leftists find out how much it costs to replace the battery! One way or another they are getting burned! LOL!
I would encourage all Progressives & Democrats to purchase Government Motors Volts. I have been informed by many of them that they and their kind are invincible to those things that scare us common people. This could be related to the turkey fryer story ....
Ping.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.