An analysis from an insurance group ranks the likelihood of fires in EVs, hybrids, and combustion-engine vehicles. Here's what they found.
from the agency notes that emergency responders in the US tackle around 170,000 vehicle fires annually. It highlights three distinct safety issues that specifically pertain to EVs and fire: thermal runaway, battery reignition, and stranded energy, which refers to energy that’s left behind in the batteries after a fire. One 2017 case in Lake Forest, California exemplifies the fact that the fire in an EV can start up again after being extinguished.
Christensen, who advises rescue crews on how to respond to electric vehicles, has counterintuitive advice that he stresses is his personal opinion and not official policy: “Let the bloody thing burn,” he says.