Electric cars have always seemed like the wave of the future. Countless movies have made us yearn for cars that run on batteries and can be charged from the owner’s home. What we weren’t prepared for is the possibility of these cars exploding like cell phones.
As of 2020, there were an estimated 6.8 million battery-powered vehicles in use around the world, with more than three million new vehicles added that year alone. Tesla, with more than 200,000 vehicles sold worldwide, is leading the charge, but most major manufacturers are developing their own electric models. Tesla is quick to point out that fires are still far more common in gas-burning vehicles than in electric ones, but as your electric car goes up in flames that may be of little comfort.
Should you pour water on it? Are you safe when the fire is out? Why can it be more dangerous to be a passenger?
Tesla claims that there has been roughly one Tesla vehicle fire for every 330 million km (205 million mi) traveled, compared to one fire every 30.5 million km (19 million mi) traveled in gas-powered vehicles. Europe is the biggest market for electric vehicles, with Norway reporting seven of every 10 cars sold in that nation are running on batteries instead of fossil fuels.
Electric vehicles are anticipated to make up about 1% of all U.S. vehicle sales by 2040, or an average of 2.5 million all-electric or hybrid cars sold every year for the next 20 years. As these numbers continue to increase, so does the possibility of you finding yourself in this dire predicament. Here’s what you need to do.
Step 1: Get Out
As with many survival scenarios, leaving quickly is always a plus but never more so than when a car is on fire. Get out of the car as quickly as possible and put some distance between you and the flames. If your car has doors with retractable handles not working properly, grab whatever you can to break out the windows or sunroof.
And if you are a passenger, you are probably at the highest risk since the exploding battery case is very likely
underneath your seat. When help arrives, firefighters will need to find the core of the fire and keep dousing it with water. According to a guide released for first responders, an electric car fire can take 24 hours to extinguish and almost 800 L (3,000 gal) of water.
Step 2: Stay Cool
Once the fire has been put out do not try to reenter the vehicle. Some cars have been reported to have reignited several times over a few hours due to lingering hotspots so it may not be a good idea to go back and look for the ring you dropped as you ran for your life.
Step 3: Keep Your Guard Up
It’s important to remember that a battery explosion can be a threat to you even if you’re not in the car. Just ask the California couple who were sound asleep when their Tesla Model S alerted them that its charge cycle was interrupted.
Less than 15 minutes later, they received another notification, this time a loud alarm letting them know their vehicle was damaged. It also alerted them that their house was on fire. The couple, who had two electric cars, were able to get out safely, but the original fire quickly spread to the other. This incident prompted warnings about not charging cars in garages overnight when they’re left unattended.
Step 4: Watch for Water
If an unlucky crash into a power line is the cause of your battery’s explosion or you happen to be near a fallen line when a fire starts, take extra precaution since the car is still electrified. Throw some rainy weather into the mix could make the entire situation a major hazard for not just you, but everyone around you.
If you find an electric current heading toward you, don’t worry. We’ll tell you what to do to avoid that jolt right here on How to Survive.
