Current:Home > StocksHurricane Idalia floodwaters cause Tesla to combust: What to know about flooded EV fires-DB Wealth Institute B2 Reviews & Ratings
Hurricane Idalia floodwaters cause Tesla to combust: What to know about flooded EV fires
lotradecoin trading tutorial for beginners View Date:2024-12-26 01:34:52
A Tesla combusted Wednesday in Hurricane Idalia floodwaters near Tampa, prompting officials to remind residents of the dangers of electric vehicles coming in contact with saltwater.
Dunedin Fire Rescue, located in Pinellas County west of Tampa, confirmed crews responded to a fire Wednesday afternoon, hours after Hurricane Idalia blew by in the Gulf of Mexico.
"If you own a hybrid or electric vehicle that has come into contact with saltwater due to recent flooding within the last 24 hours, it is crucial to relocate the vehicle from your garage without delay," the a post by nearby Palm Harbor Fire Rescue reads. "Saltwater exposure can trigger combustion in lithium-ion batteries. If possible, transfer your vehicle to higher ground."
Even in extreme circumstances, electric vehicle fires are relatively rare. An estimated 358,000 vehicles were damaged from Hurricane Ian’s widespread flooding in Florida and the Carolinas and only 21 electric vehicles are known to have burned — a number much lower than some officials initially warned of. But the fires can be dangerous, so officials are preparing in the aftermath of Idalia.
Florida braced for EV fires in Hurricane Idalia flooding
As reported by 10 Tampa Bay, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned about EV fires as Hurricane Idalia drew closer.
“These electric vehicles when they get saltwater intrusion can catch on fire and those are very difficult fires to put out,” DeSantis said during a storm update.
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis witnessed an EV fire after Hurricane Ian that reignited several times, as he said in a statement warning people to move their cars to higher ground.
Golf carts and scooters are subject to the same risk, Patronis said.
Tampa Fire Rescue posted about safety tips for EVs in the wake of Hurricane Idalia. But as of Friday morning, they had not responded to any EV fires due to floodwater.
"We wanted to be preemptive," said spokesperson Vivian Shedd. "We weren't with (Hurricane) Ian."
21 electric vehicle fires after 2022 Hurricane Ian
According to Patronis, who also serves as the Florida State Fire Marshal, there were 21 fires related to EVs in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which struck Southwest Florida in September 2022. The catastrophic storm caused $115.2 billion in damages, killed 156 people and knocked out power for 2.6 million residents.
One incident on Sanibel Island near Fort Meyers, Fla. gutted the house the car was parked in and the house next door.
Those fires weren't a total surprise either. The dangers of flooding for EVs had been known since Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
EVs less likely to catch fire than gas cars
Statistics compiled by AutoInsuranceEZ found that for every 100,000 EVs, there are about 25 fires each year. That compares to 1,530 car fires in the same number of gas-powered vehicles annually. Gas-powered cars typically catch fire due to fuel leaks or crashes.
Why do flooded EVs catch fire?
If an electric vehicle’s battery is damaged by a collision or water intrusion from a flood, a short circuit can occur, which causes the cell to discharge energy and heat up. This can lead to an event called “thermal runaway,” in which the heat propagates from one cell to the next, causing them to burn.
In a small number of cases when an EV is submerged in water, contaminants or salt in the water can cause short-circuiting, especially after the water drains from the battery.
Vehicles or batteries that have been damaged also have the potential for short-circuiting to occur due to movement of the vehicle or battery, for example when it's being loaded or unloaded from a tow truck.
Heat generated from a fire, thermal runaway of an adjacent cell, or shorting of the battery can melt the porous membrane between the battery’s cathode and anode, causing this cell to go into thermal runaway. The heat causes the cell to vent flammable gas, which can ignite and catch fire.
"That heat can get transferred to the next cell and it can become a chain reaction," said said Thomas Barth, chief of the special investigations branch of highway safety at the National Transportation Safety Board.
"If you have a damaged lithium-ion battery and it has energy which remains in the battery pack, we call that stranded energy," he said. "If you initiate a thermal runaway or venting of the flammable gas, the battery can ignite."
Experts warn that it is not necessarily likely for a EV to catch fire just because it has flooded. Only a small percentage of registered EVs caught fire, according to USA TODAY analyses.
veryGood! (3124)
Related
- 'Business done right': Why the WWE-TNA partnership has been a success
- Tropical Storm Ophelia tracks up East Coast, downing trees and flooding roads
- Minnesota Twins clinch AL Central title with win over Los Angeles Angels
- Ukraine targets key Crimean city a day after striking the Russian navy headquarters
- Beyoncé leads nominations for 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards
- What to know about NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission
- Uganda’s president says airstrikes killed ‘a lot’ of rebels with ties to Islamic State in Congo
- Deshaun Watson has been woeful with the Browns. Nick Chubb's injury could bring QB needed change.
- Hideki Matsuyama will be without regular caddie, coach after their passports and visas were stolen
- Amazon Prime Video will cost you more starting in 2024 if you want to watch without ads
Ranking
- Lady Gaga’s Brunette Hair Transformation Will Have You Applauding
- Russian foreign minister lambastes the West but barely mentions Ukraine in UN speech
- How Jessica Alba's Mexican Heritage Has Inspired Her Approach to Parenting
- Tropical Storm Ophelia weakens to a depression
- Demi Lovato opens up about how 'daddy issues' led her to chase child stardom, success
- 1 in 4 inmate deaths happens in the same federal prison. Why?
- Ukraine targets key Crimean city a day after striking the Russian navy headquarters
- Lots of dignitaries but no real fireworks — only electronic flash — as the Asian Games open
Recommendation
-
Ryan Reynolds on his 'complicated' relationship with his dad, how it's changed him
-
With temporary status for Venezuelans, the Biden administration turns to a familiar tool
-
Back in full force, UN General Assembly shows how the most important diplomatic work is face to face
-
Salt water intrusion in Mississippi River could impact drinking water in Louisiana
-
Wally Amos, 88, of cookie fame, died at home in Hawaii. He lost Famous Amos but found other success
-
No. 3 Florida State ends Death Valley drought with defeat of No. 23 Clemson
-
Teen charged with arson after fireworks started a fire that burned 28 acres
-
UNGA Briefing: There’s one more day to go after a break — but first, here’s what you missed