EVs ignite post-Hurricane Idalia flooding.
After Hurricane Idalia wreaked havoc in Florida last week, reports of electric vehicles catching fire after encountering floodwaters started to surface.
According to ABC’s Tampa Bay affiliate, at least two Tesla vehicles, one in Pinellas Park and another in Palm Harbor, burst into flames after being contaminated by saltwater from the storm surge.
Palm Harbor Fire Rescue issued a warning on Facebook about the incident, cautioning that exposure to saltwater can trigger combustion in lithium-ion batteries.
Owners of electric vehicles were advised to immediately move any car that had come into contact with saltwater, especially if it was parked in a garage.
The list of potentially affected vehicles includes golf carts and electric scooters.
In an explainer video, The Weather Channel’s Danielle Banks explained that salt particles can enter the battery and other electrical components, acting as a conductor and leading to a short circuit and fire. The risk of ignition can persist for weeks after a storm.
Banks added that the battery packs in electric vehicles are encased in metal and difficult to access at the bottom of the cars. Extinguishing the fire can require tens of thousands of gallons of water and hours of firefighting, and there is still a possibility of reignition days later.
Tesla provides guidance for owners whose vehicles have been submerged due to flooding or extreme weather conditions on its website.
Drivers are advised to treat their vehicle as if it has been in an accident, contact their insurance company, refrain from operating the vehicle without an inspection from an authorized shop, and move the vehicle at least 50 feet away from structures or other combustible materials.
Hurricane Idalia made landfall over Florida’s Gulf Coast near Keaton Beach, bringing strong winds, heavy rains, and storm surge. It has since swept across Florida and neighboring states and dissipated over the Atlantic Ocean.
As a precaution, authorities urged electric vehicle owners to move their cars to higher ground when the storm approached.
In the past, other hurricanes have also caused electric vehicles to catch fire, prompting officials and policymakers to question whether auto-makers are taking sufficient measures to develop safety protocols. This concern arises amid the Biden administration’s push for a transition away from gasoline-burning vehicles.
According to USA Today, 21 electric vehicles burned due to flooding from Hurricane Ian in Florida and the Carolinas last year, out of an estimated 358,000 damaged vehicles.
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