Understanding Lithium-Ion Battery Fires: Risks and Responses
Enlarge / An image depicting the battery assembly of a Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric microbus during a media event at Volkswagen AG’s multipurpose and commercial vehicle production facility in Hannover, Germany, from June 16, 2022. (credit: Bloomberg)
The Dangers of Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lithium-ion battery blazes can be both ferocious and alarming. With experience repairing pre-owned smartphones, I have managed to douse my share of flaming devices caused by compromised lithium-ion batteries. The batteries in your smartphone closely resemble those used in electric vehicles (EVs), but the latter contains significantly larger amounts of energy. This heightened power capacity has led to firefighters undergoing specialized training for tackling the challenging fires that can erupt from malfunctioning EV batteries following traffic incidents.
The Rising Concerns about EV Battery Fires
If you keep up with developments in the electric vehicle market, you’ve probably seen numerous reports highlighting the rise in incidences of battery combustions. Most recently, investigations have been launched by entities like the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and California Highway Patrol into incidents such as a fire involving a Tesla semi-truck that occurred after it collided with a tree; the lithium-ion unit aboard burned fiercely for nearly four hours.
This spotlight on potential hazards raises critical questions about safety protocols surrounding EV technology as its popularity continues to grow exponentially—more than 800% increase in sales reported over recent years—prompting an essential review of emergency response strategies across various regions.
