Are Hybrids more likely to catch fire

[Je1279]

They still have a long way to go to catch up with Ferrari...

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[FaaWrenchBndr]

When I googled hybrid fire - F150 was #1 result, this was a new 2023 F150 too. This happened yesterday. Gone in 5 minutes.

You should post up the correct fire extinguisher for PB's to use. I am not seeing it. Sadly it is the battery that usually starts the fire, spraying it with water makes it burn more (not less)

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/th...ybrid-f-150-catches-fire-gets-engulfed-flames

This happened yesterday.

yeah, that happened yesterday but use some common sense. They stated it started in the engine compartment. That’s not where the hybrid battery is. Use your head. Use some common sense and read.

 

[Polo08816]

No Fire extinguisher can put out a lithium battery fire.

You need an 80x20 blanket that you should get damp first, then smother the fire. Good luck, most FD will just spay water which makes the fire worse.

Also: don't get in an accident while it's raining...

That's not quite true. Water can extinguish a lithium battery fire, the issue is getting the water on to it. The PB's batt is one of the easier batts to reach if not the easiest.

Remember the fire pyramid, water can act on 2 of its legs, the blanket acts on one. Granted certain electrolytes can provide some oxygen, it's not enough for a proper fire. Technology and knowledge will eventually catch up.

EV and hybrid vehicles are banned from participating in HPDEs at many tracks like Summit Point, WGI, VIR, NJMP, etc. as well as car clubs that run HPDEs like BMW CCA and PCA.

The problem is that once they catch fire, they can't be put out easily so they can't mitigate the impact on run/track time for their patrons.

 

[HammaMan]

EV and hybrid vehicles are banned from participating in HPDEs at many tracks like Summit Point, WGI, VIR, NJMP, etc. as well as car clubs that run HPDEs like BMW CCA and PCA.

The problem is that once they catch fire, they can't be put out easily so they can't mitigate the impact on run/track time for their patrons.

That's really a poor excuse. For 10k I could fab up something to scoop them up off of the track just as fast as the vehicle can arrive.

They really don't like EVs because they dominate like no other.

 

[Polo08816]

That's really a poor excuse. For 10k I could fab up something to scoop them up off of the track just as fast as the vehicle can arrive.

They really don't like EVs because they dominate like no other.

The tracks/facilities don't care - it's really just a business decision that was made after initially allowing EVs and hybrids to partake in track events.

I have never seen any sanctioned racing body "scoop" a hybrid (Formula 1?) vehicle up just to put the fire out elsewhere. You generally need to get people out of a vehicle first, put the fire out, and then move the debris elsewhere in that particular order.

Btw, I just haven't seen an EV or hybrid dominate on the track (and by track, I mean the road course types) because they can't dominate for 20-40 minute sessions 4-5 times each day.



If there was a 10k solution to this, they would have done it already. Until then, here's your solution but it costs a bit more than $10k:

Who the F is going to risk their life going anywhere near a lithium battery vehicle fire if there's no one that's stuck in vehicle?

 

[HammaMan]

Who the F is going to risk their life going anywhere near a lithium battery vehicle fire if there's no one that's stuck in vehicle?

The guys in the suits designed to be near fire, specifically for that purpose.

There's real simple solutions. This is fire 101, even if the courses are outdated. Auto reignition isn't new.

 

[Polo08816]

The guys in the suits designed to be near fire, specifically for that purpose.

There's real simple solutions. This is fire 101, even if the courses are outdated. Auto reignition isn't new.

Even if there was a solution to put out an EV fire, what temperature does an EV car fire burn at versus an ICE car fire? How much longer does it take to put out an EV car fire vs an ICE car fire?

What type of damage are we looking at for the track surface when dealing with an EV car fire vs an ICE car fire? Is it feasible to repair the surface in-between run group sessions or does the track have to shut down for hours for a view to repair the surface?

At the end of the day, I'm paying $700+ just in track entry fees for the weekend. There's no way I would go to a track that would allow EVs to partake and risk having them shut down the entire track for the rest of the day because they allowed an EV to burn uncontrollably to damage the track surface enough to red flag the rest of the event.

It's clear that the track facilities share the same type of calculus when it comes to their business decisions.

 

[ReverendQ]

yeah, that happened yesterday but use some common sense. They stated it started in the engine compartment. That’s not where the hybrid battery is. Use your head. Use some common sense and read.

Yep, probably the Engine Cover/Squirrel Bait. I suppose that is why they took it off of the MY24s.

 

[Polo08816]

yeah, that happened yesterday but use some common sense. They stated it started in the engine compartment. That’s not where the hybrid battery is. Use your head. Use some common sense and read.

Yep, probably the Engine Cover/Squirrel Bait. I suppose that is why they took it off of the MY24s.

It may have started in the engine compartment but when the fire reached the EV battery did the car fire get worse compared to an ICE model?

 

[missileboy]

yeah, that happened yesterday but use some common sense. They stated it started in the engine compartment. That’s not where the hybrid battery is. Use your head. Use some common sense and read.

Just because the smoke was seen from the engine compartment, doesn't mean JACK. If it happened yesterday, I doubt the root cause has been fully determined within a day. If that hybrid battery did start the fire, smoke could travel all along the underside of the truck and where will the smoke rise up? In the engine compartment where it is open to the ground and smoke can easily come up through and out of the engine compartment. You seem awful sure of your conclusion, but you are just speculating, so your opinion is no more valid than anyone else's.

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

Just because the smoke was seen from the engine compartment, doesn't mean JACK. If it happened yesterday, I doubt the root cause has been fully determined within a day. If that hybrid battery did start the fire, smoke could travel all along the underside of the truck and where will the smoke rise up? In the engine compartment where it is open to the ground and smoke can easily come up through and out of the engine compartment. You seem awful sure of your conclusion, but you are just speculating, so your opinion is no more valid than anyone else's.

if the fire started at the EV battery, the smoke and flames would be coming up from the cab, the bed and the area between the cabin bed. It’s just common sense folks.

 

[Polo08816]

Just because the smoke was seen from the engine compartment, doesn't mean JACK. If it happened yesterday, I doubt the root cause has been fully determined within a day. If that hybrid battery did start the fire, smoke could travel all along the underside of the truck and where will the smoke rise up? In the engine compartment where it is open to the ground and smoke can easily come up through and out of the engine compartment. You seem awful sure of your conclusion, but you are just speculating, so your opinion is no more valid than anyone else's.

Regardless of where it started, if the fire reached the hybrid battery and the hybrid battery started burning, is that car fire going to be the same or worse than an ICE car fire?

 

[Chappy133]

My 2 cents. Having an extinguisher in all vehicles as it is a good thing allowing you to knock down a fire in its incipient stage. When Lithium Ion batteries burn it takes a lot of water to over whelm these of battery fires. Tesla recommends for fire departments to use 6,000-10,000 gallons of water to extinguish a Li-ion battery fire for their cars. Most fire engines carry 500 -1000 gallons. For ICE vehicle fires we usually knock those fires down with 200-300 gallons of water. BTW do not breathe the smoke or white clouds prior to burning it is really bad for you.

 

[Chappy133]

The guys in the suits designed to be near fire, specifically for that purpose.

There's real simple solutions. This is fire 101, even if the courses are outdated. Auto reignition isn't new.

We have that fire blanket for our fire department. It costs @ $2500.00 each. Our plan is only to use it for exposure protection, ie. car in the driveway or garage/ car near a structure, otherwise we are going to let the EV fire burn it self out once we confirm no occupants.

 

[Antimatter22]

If that graphic in the first post is to be believed then we all need to buy EVs lol

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