In California, a Tesla Semi, the electric trailer produced by Tesla, was involved in a car accident on a major highway. As a result of the accident, the road was closed for 16 hours. While such incidents typically do not require this much time to clear, electric vehicles present unique challenges due to the nature of their batteries, which can burn for several hours or even days. Firefighters reportedly used over 189,000 liters of water to extinguish the electric batteries of the Tesla Semi.

Why Do Lithium-Ion Batteries Catch Fire and Burn for Hours?

Lithium-ion battery fires are caused by several factors, with the most common being a chain reaction that occurs when one of the cells in the battery pack overheats and explodes. This releases significant heat and pressure, causing adjacent cells to explode as well, creating a domino effect. Due to the nature of lithium, these fires are difficult to extinguish and can burn for extended periods. 

Thermal overheating can be triggered by several factors, such as overcharging, imbalances within the battery, short circuits, or physical damage to the battery.

Are Electric Cars More Prone to Fires?

Interestingly, electric vehicles (EVs) statistically catch fire less frequently than internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid cars. According to the data, the incidence of fires per 100,000 vehicles is:

• EVs: 25 out of 100,000

• Gasoline vehicles: 1,530 out of 100,000

• Hybrids: 3,475 out of 100,000

However, while electric cars catch fire less often, extinguishing these fires is far more difficult compared to ICE or hybrid cars, which is why EV fires tend to be more memorable.

Source: bm.ge

Editor's note: Click here for information on batteries that are less prone to catching fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jd8REVB-c8