Guess the burnout model

Cannon_fodder

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/10/electric-car-gutted-flames-set-fire-charging/

Cannot make out the make or model. Any thoughts and how this fire happened? Might start to affect insurance IMO

barryfitz

Smart For-Two

Cannon_fodder

Yeah a Smart car, all they showed yesterday was the first picture from the rear and upside down. Serious meltdown

Calahonda52

Cannon_fodder wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/10/electric-car-gutted-flames-set-fire-charging/

Cannot make out the make or model. Any thoughts and how this fire happened? Might start to affect insurance IMO

Opinions are always welcome but hard facts are always better so post the stats for ICE fires per 100,00 vehicles, no need to by model, just one number, then do the same for the EVs

Then we will have an idea re insurance repricing risk.

Soarer

Cannon_fodder wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/10/electric-car-gutted-flames-set-fire-charging/

Cannot make out the make or model. Any thoughts and how this fire happened? Might start to affect insurance IMO

Because of one fire in the UK??

jerryg

Cannon_fodder wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/10/electric-car-gutted-flames-set-fire-charging/

Cannot make out the make or model. Any thoughts and how this fire happened? Might start to affect insurance IMO

The most recent data (2011/2012) from Great Britian shows that over 14,000 cars caught fire either accidentally or unspecified but this reporter choose to report on this story. (source other EV forum)

It is unlikely to effect Insurance

Cannon_fodder

Soarer wrote: »

Because of one fire in the UK??

You would agree that it is a serious fire? You would agree that if you have an electric car it would make you think about what and where you leave it when charging?

It does raise questions as to how safe these cars are until this particular fire is explained.

goz83

Cannon_fodder wrote: »

You would agree that it is a serious fire? You would agree that if you have an electric car it would make you think about what and where you leave it when charging?

It does raise questions as to how safe these cars are until this particular fire is explained.

Yes, it raises questions which need to be answered, but it's not a knicker twisting situation. ICE cars have been randomly bursting into flames for years. The Zafira I sold a month ago had 2 recalls in the last 12 months because of a fire hazard. The car was being driven for more than 10 years before a notification was issued.

For all we know, this could have been someone plugging the car in with a faulty extension cord in the lashing rain. Electrical fault does not mean the vehicle was at fault. Of course, the "journalist" wouldn't mention that.

Soarer

Cannon_fodder wrote: »

You would agree that it is a serious fire?

Definitely.

Cannon_fodder wrote: »

You would agree that if you have an electric car it would make you think about what and where you leave it when charging?

Not in the slightest. Are you suggesting I shouldn't park in my drive and charge the car overnight in case it catches fire??

Cannon_fodder wrote: »

It does raise questions as to how safe these cars are until this particular fire is explained.

No it doesn't, unless you're part of the tinfoil hat brigade. ICE cars burst into flames far more regularly than EVs. The fact that they're carrying around gallons of a highly flammable liquid makes them infinitely less safe to my eyes.

Wibbs

Soarer wrote: »

ICE cars burst into flames far more regularly than EVs.

Italian supercars seem to have this as a feature... Though to be fair the numbers of ICE cars on the road are massively higher. Time will tell when more leccy cars are on our roads. Tesla have had five go up in the States, another couple in the UK and a few in Europe. Given how rare they are one would wonder if they're buying in Italian supercar wiring...

The fact that they're carrying around gallons of a highly flammable liquid makes them infinitely less safe to my eyes.

In car fires it's almost always the electrics that kick it off. Sure petrol is of course flammable, but it's not nearly as flammable as Hollywood makes out. Diesel is even less so. Drop a lighted match into a bucket of diesel and see what happens. Nothing. Li-Ion batteries are volatile enough. I've seen with my own eyes a laptop battery swell up and then catch fire. Very dramatic altogether, lots of smoke and pops and bangs. If anything I would feel less safe after a crash in an EV. If the battery packs get damaged, get the hell out of the car.

oppenheimer1

Soarer wrote: »

Definitely.



Not in the slightest. Are you suggesting I shouldn't park in my drive and charge the car overnight in case it catches fire??



No it doesn't, unless you're part of the tinfoil hat brigade. ICE cars burst into flames far more regularly than EVs. The fact that they're carrying around gallons of a highly flammable liquid makes them infinitely less safe to my eyes.

While this is no doubt a one off, I wonder would say your house insurance cover for damage if it was caused by a car charging indoors (like in a garage). Probably do at the moment, but a few incidents and I bet like everything else it will be excluded.

Any physical damage to a lithium ion battery is likely to make it burst into flames. Richard Hammond had a lucky escape when he crashed, looks like damaged the battery and incinerated his car. What kind of armour does the battery have in say a leaf?

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/jun/11/richard-hammond-escaped-crashed-car-seconds-before-being-incinerated

Diesel isn't particularly flammable btw.

RootX

Here's an interesting read around the crash-worthiness of electric and hybrid vehicles, testing methodology, battery protection mechanisms, etc

https://www-esv.nhtsa.dot.gov/Proceedings/24/files/24ESV-000318.PDF

Wibbs

RootX wrote: »

Here's an interesting read around the crash-worthiness of electric and hybrid vehicles, testing methodology, battery protection mechanisms, etc

Sounds about right. I'd bet the fire issue will be about equal to dinosaur burners. That is not much of an issue at all, but the ones that do go up will get the column inches.

goz83

Wibbs wrote: »

Sounds about right. I'd bet the fire issue will be about equal to dinosaur burners. That is not much of an issue at all, but the ones that do go up will get the column inches.

I would say that there would be less fires from EVs, but that they would be more intense. Comparing candle to blow torch.

oppenheimer1

goz83 wrote: »

I would say that there would be less fires from EVs, but that they would be more intense. Comparing candle to blow torch.

Not necessarily, just did a bit of research there, and in fairness to the Leaf, it has a very robust battery. Leafs have gone on fire through faults in the 12V system and the battery pack has remained intact. There are videos of lads stabbing and using a blowtorch on the cells and the pack still holds a charge when finished. A leaf fire would be no worse than an ICE engine fire.

Fair play to Nissan (or the cell manufacturer), its no easy feat to have such a robust Li ion battery.

goz83

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Not necessarily, just did a bit of research there, and in fairness to the Leaf, it has a very robust battery. Leafs have gone on fire through faults in the 12V system and the battery pack has remained intact. There are videos of lads stabbing and using a blowtorch on the cells and the pack still holds a charge when finished. A leaf fire would be no worse than an ICE engine fire.

Fair play to Nissan (or the cell manufacturer), its no easy feat to have such a robust Li ion battery.

Good news so.

oppenheimer1

goz83 wrote: »

Good news so.

This Leaf got caught in a bush-fire.

The battery stayed intact.

Excellent engineering tbf.

goz83

That's why I insist on clean shaven :eek:

Soarer

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

This Leaf got caught in a bush-fire.

Rub some Canestan on it.