Flood Hearth Danger With EVs — At Least Some EV Packs Want Higher Water Sealing

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Within the wake of the current hurricane that swept Florida after which went and wrecked decrease Appalachia, I got here throughout an attention-grabbing social media submit from native authorities officers in Pinellas County, Florida. In it, we see the uncomfortable and harmful dying of a Tesla:

Electrical Autos which have been flooded in saltwater can catch fireplace. In the event you evacuated and left an electrical automobile or golf cart in your storage or below a constructing and you aren’t capable of get to it or transfer it, we would like you to tell us. /1 pic.twitter.com/dpfiXRAGuR

— Pinellas County (@PinellasGov) September 28, 2024

When salt water acquired contained in the Tesla’s storage, it flooded the automobile. This didn’t initially trigger main issues, because the automobile’s low-slung battery pack is inside a particular compartment that’s meant to maintain the water out of it. However, given sufficient time, the water managed to seek out its strategy to the battery cells. As a result of the water had salt in it, it was conductive. This shorted out the cells, inflicting a sequence response of awfulness and fireplace.

When this occurred throughout Hurricane Ian, I didn’t suppose it was a official drawback. In any case, we had been assured by Tesla that the battery packs are waterproof. Elon Musk even mentioned that they may function a ship in a pinch. We’ve seen tons and many movies the place Teslas and different EVs ford deep water and get by means of when different automobiles stall out and flood. So, it didn’t make sense that water would get within the pack, and we thought that Florida officers have been mendacity.

However, it seems that they weren’t, and it seems that it retains occurring. Given sufficient time, a Tesla (and probably another EV manufacturers) will embrace that “salt life” after which find yourself in salt dying.

What’s not clear is whether or not that is an industry-wide challenge or one thing restricted to sure makes/fashions. All the trendy EV period media experiences I may discover talked about a Tesla automobile, and typically e-bikes and electrical scooters. Going additional again, some early trendy EVs and PHEVs from Fisker and Toyota caught fireplace after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Now we have to remember that Teslas are the preferred EV in america as we speak by far and that e-bikes and scooters are much more standard. So, it’s not clear whether or not these automobiles are extra susceptible than others or if they simply come up in experiences due to sheer numbers.

All EVs Ought to Be Waterproof

Right here’s the factor: that is unacceptable. Most significantly, lives are put in danger by battery packs that may’t spend just a few days flooded with out turning into a scorching mess. Individuals evacuating ought to have the ability to repair up their houses, not come again to a home that first flooded after which burnt. If sufficient folks purchase EVs, this might develop into frighteningly frequent after a hurricane. That is additionally horrible for the entire EV {industry}, because it helps cement the false concept that EVs are typically a much bigger fireplace danger than combustion automobiles, which they aren’t.

The answer is fairly easy. EV producers must have some delight of their work and ensure each EV that leaves the manufacturing unit can deal with immersion for lengthy durations with out going up in flames. This would possibly require some higher sealing the place the pack closes up. It’s positively going to require higher verify valves that hold strain from increase contained in the pack attributable to temperature shifts, and so on.

This would possibly sound like a ridiculous demand to some, however we’ve to remember that there are various different merchandise on the market that may deal with water for lengthy durations. Telephones with an IP68 score are available available on the market, and there’s no purpose that automobile battery packs can’t be constructed to an identical customary. I’d suggest that an EV ought to have the ability to face up to immersion in as much as 10 ft of water for per week with out water intrusion into the pack.

Featured picture: a screenshot from the Pinellas County tweet above (truthful use).