EV Fires Are Complicating Government Policies

The results of a government-commissioned report on electric car fires in the UK might cause waves on this side of the pond soon enough. After all, among the many conclusions was that parking spaces in parking structures must be made much wider, meaning in areas where it’s already difficult enough to find a spot it will become that much harder.

EV fire creates hazmat emergency.

Things only get more horrifying from there, with the report pointing out that the old fire safety laws formulated almost half a century ago won’t be sufficient for dealing with the risks of widespread EV use. That’s a big problem considering the UK has set an aggressive path for going “zero emissions” on vehicles by 2035.

According to The Telegraph, among the horrifying things talked about in the report is the possibility of “flammable vapour clouds emitted by electric vehicle batteries” triggering sudden explosions. That’s like something out of a bad 90s sci-fi horror movie and yet could become part of our modern existence. But to say so is likely anti-progress and technophobic, among other things.

Also mentioned in the report was the possibility of jets of fire shooting out of EVs during a blaze, something we imagine could cook firefighters quickly. Perhaps the widespread adoption of electric cars will lead to the widespread adoption of robotic firefighters.

The recommendation that EVs on fire be “dunked in baths of water” that appropriately look like big dumpsters comes with another risk: the water afterwards could be loaded with toxic chemicals. That means it can’t just be let back into the water supply but instead must be treated through a specialized process. And people are concerned about microplastics.

It’s amazing how a solution to a problem can actually create more problems, almost like mankind’s hubris is its ultimate downfall. After all, cars were invented to solve a myriad of societal problems and now they’re being blamed for why this past summer was so hot in some places. In turning to EVs as a solution, we also fuel catastrophic strip mining ventures in foreign countries, plus get to deal with the possibility of flammable clouds exploding and geysers of fire erupting from electric cars. Neat.