the truth about electric cars

@lol-lol I fear people will be lulled into a false sense of security as the battery fire problem suddenly seems not to be such a problem. This system of a special EV fire blanket is only applicable in ideal conditions.

This is not me fearmongering; I'm simply explaining real-life facts. You need to engage the old grey matter and understand that the manufacturers doing that demo had full control over the parameters; in real life, that is never going to happen like that.

Observations:

1. The whole thing was staged: location open air meaning toxic fumes are easier to disperse, flat terrain, concrete pad (non-combustible), no obstructions, cars, buildings etc, no access problem.

2. Nissan Leaf has one of the smallest batteries fitted to EVs; the battery was also highly likely to be in a very low SOC, meaning less energy to burn off.

3. Firefighters already there and fully kitted out in their BAs. In a real situation, they might have to drive miles from the fire station to the car, which could be at an event in the countryside alongside other parked cars or in an RTA on a motorway, etc. Firefighters may therefore take a considerable time to arrive at the scene. Then when they get there, they will have to assess what type of incident they are faced with, get their BAs on, get an EV fire blanket from the appliance (assuming they have one), unpack it and position it ready for deployment.  Run the hoses out and if possible, locate a hydrant to ensure they have plenty of water.

4. The fire blanket was already there, just waiting to be deployed, which is never going to be true in a real situation.

5. Because of the size of the battery and because it may have been in low SOC, it had probably already burnt off the oxidising agents by the time the blanket was deployed, with no more jets of flames being emitted sideways, flames going straight up (as a normal car fire). At that point, it was likely a normal car fire with all the plastics, carpets, seats, wiring, etc. then burning, the same as any ICE car.

6. The only time an EV presents a different hazard is with the battery; if it is actually off-gassing, it is both extremely dangerous if inhaled and can kill in seconds. If it settles on skin, then it is deadly and requires urgent hospitalisation and special treatment. It is highly explosive; the battery produces its own oxygen, so putting a fire blanket over the car does not stop it burning until the battery electrolyte has been burnt out, at which point the oxygen has been consumed, and the fire stops.

Removing the blanket allows oxygen in, and the fire starts again as a normal car fire. Water will then finish the job, as shown in the demo. Had they left the blanket on long enough, the overall temperature would have dropped to almost the same as the ambient temperature, and water might not have been required.

The EV fire blanket cannot be used in a car park because by the time the firefighters arrive, the car would be fully engulfed, as would the other cars in the surrounding parking bays, so there is no way a fire blanket could be used as it would not be possible to approach the fire as it would be too large for a blanket anyway.

EV cars being transported by road on a car carrier – again, a blanket is useless; even if able to get one over the car, the bottom would be open and oxygen has free access. EV cars on a car ship are again packed in tightly with other cars even closer than they would be in a car park. They are also strapped down to prevent movement in rough seas, so a blanket (assuming one could be dropped down from the ceiling onto the car) would NOT be able to form a sealed "chamber" to contain the fire and stop it spreading to the surrounding cars because of the straps and the shackles holding it down will create pathways for air to enter and flames/gas to escape.

As the scientists have already explained many times, if you can use a fire blanket, there is a high risk that removing it will cause a deflagration and engulf the firefighters in flames.

So to make it clear, an EV car fire of any type (hybrid or BEV) is the same as any ICE car until the traction battery decides to combust, and that is when things turn really nasty and quickly. This means that firefighters will now have to identify the type of car they are dealing with and then take the appropriate steps to tackle it.