Features that Prevent the Risk of Fire Outbreaks in EVs
You should ask yourself if electric cars are safer than petrol cars, especially when you want to acquire one. Though in accidental scenarios, all the two types of vehicles may catch fire. The advantage of electric vehicles is that they don’t catch fire immediately they are involved in accidents as compared to fuel cars.
However, petrol cars also have the highest potentiality of catching fire due to:
- Their engines are prone to overheating
- When the vehicle is involved in a collision
- Due to short-circuit in its electrical system
The situation may also be worsened in petroleum cars if the fuel gets burnt due to its inflammable nature as fossil fuel will always explode when exposed to high temperatures.
Causes of fires in electric cars
A fault in the circuit system may cause fires in the electric vehicles. Its battery may ignite the fire in case of a short circuit since most of their batteries are the Lithium-ion battery which is designed from several cells compacted together. Short circuits generate a lot of heat which are always transferred to the adjacent cells, which are then damaged. It may cause a thermal runaway in the battery if the heat is not prevented. Thermal runaways cause most electric car fires since the heat is generated from the packed cells due to the chemical reactions.
Additionally, the position of its batteries is also another contributor to EVs fires. Its cells are always placed at the bottom of the car to lower its centre of gravity and also to create space in the car. If the battery is overheated, it catches fire and affects the whole vehicle. It is even more dangerous than that of fueled vehicles.
Preventing car fires in electric vehicles
Your safety is always essential, especially when dealing with electronics. In electric cars, their batteries have been protected from fire hazards using different methods. More enhancements also need to be done on the battery fire and thermal runaway to enhance more safety.
Adequate thermal management EV battery is vital in preventing fire outbreaks. Despite preventing car fires, it also keeps the battery warm during the cold seasons. The cooling system in the EVs battery likewise plays a crucial role in stopping the thermal runaway to the adjacent cells.
Another feature that prevents fires in the EVs is the fuse that disconnects the battery. In case of a short circuit or any potentiality of fire outbreak, the fuse will cut the circuit hence preventing any fire outbreak. The feature cannot be found in other fueled vehicles making the EVs safer. Furthermore, the thermal secretion between the passenger and battery compartment has also lowered the chances of the EVs from catching fire.
The rate of fire spreads in electric VS fueled cars
Gas, diesel, and petrol are highly flammable fossil fuels. These fuels are normally stored in vehicle tanks which are mounted in a way that they are not much affected in case the vehicle collides. However, in the EVs fire will always spread slowly in case of a fault, and it will also permit passengers to come out of the car. In EVs, it may also take days for the vehicle to catch fire in case of a short circuit in the battery. From the statistics, it can be concluded that electric cars are safer than fuel cars.
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