Are EVs really rolling infernos waiting to happen?

A middle-aged man wearing a sky-blue T-shirt and plaid shorts walks into an elevator carrying a metal object in his right hand.

It looks like a giant jug – the same sort of thing you would put your coffee or juice in. But as the elevator door closes, we discover that it doesn’t contain a refreshing beverage as hellfire spews out.

A CCTV camera captures flames and thick, black smoke engulfing the man as he throws down what he’s carrying, attempting in vain to put out the inferno and escape. Another CCTV camera from outside the elevator shows security personnel scrambling for fire extinguishers as they spot the smoke.

Moments later, the man’s charred body is pulled out of the elevator. His clothes have lost all their vibrant color, instead becoming black as coal.

The Facebook video’s text reads “That’s why I don’t like Electric Vehicles” and proceeds to give safety tips on lithium batteries, which is what the majority of modern electric vehicles (EV) use. Indeed, many anti-EV advocates have used this and similar videos to highlight the supposed dangers of battery-electric vehicles.

Although the intent appears sound, the post (much like everything else on social media) lacks the legwork that professional journalists like us undertake to get the full picture.

Keep it cool

Reports indicate that the incident occurred in 2021 in Guangzhou, China.

The man was carrying a lithium-ion e-bike battery that had overheated from being charged indoors, with the plan of cooling it off outside. Fire officials concluded that the explosion was caused by a thermal runaway, whereby the extreme heat in a faulty lithium battery can lead to a fire.

Following this and many other incidents caused by improperly charged or illegally modified e-bikes, the Chinese government introduced mandatory e-bike safety requirements starting July 2023. These measures include protecting against over-voltage, over-current and abnormally high temperatures, including standardizing chargers.

The majority of four-wheeled EVs, along with most smartphones, already come with these safeguards. Indeed, EVs even have dedicated cooling systems to ensure that the battery pack is at the right temperature.

As such, it is vital that any modifications to an EV (whether two-wheeled or four-wheeled) are done within specified safety standards to prevent a huge conflagration.

Charge it right

There have been posts abound of EVs going up in flames while charging.

Social media’s harbingers of doom argue that EVs can potentially send us all into a fiery end. But the U.S. Fire Administration has much more sensible advice related to EV charging stations.

For home charging, the agency recommends using only certified equipment with a new, dedicated circuit installed by a qualified electrician. All EVs sold today come with proprietary charging cables and stations, but do make sure that the wiring wasn’t done by your resident “alak-trician.”

And much like our precious iPhones, EVs have charging guidelines to prevent a fire. It is vital that you check these out to get the most out of your EV battery.

The future

Much literature on EV fires point to causes beyond that of the vehicle or battery pack itself – these include user error, faulty wiring, improper charging equipment and even illegal modifications.

EVs effectively present a new set of common-sense safety rules that we all must learn. This is similar to how we were trained not to light a flame or smoke a cigarette while inside a gasoline station because even the fumes are highly flammable.

And with EV development going as quickly as it is, future power sources like sodium-ion batteries could resolve the fear of blazes altogether. That’s because sodium batteries, despite holding less energy per unit than lithium, are much less likely to experience thermal runaway.

In addition, sodium is substantially more abundant and cheaper, which could lead to a further reduction in global EV prices.

Much like how we have prevented ourselves for decades from being immolated by our vehicles fueled by dead dinosaurs, we must be ready to adapt to the safety challenges that EVs bring, whether we like them or not.