The growth in sales of electric vehicles is far more than expected. The world is adopting the new change in mobility very quickly. The reason for this fast growth can be attributed to the governments’ efforts in this sector. Despite this, in terms of safety, there is no 100% guarantee of safety in electric vehicles. In recent times, there have been many cases of fire in electric cars and two-wheelers. These few cases raise serious questions about their safety. Due to these few incidents, people are becoming suspicious of EVs. In such a situation, it is important to know the cause of fire in an electric vehicle and how you can prevent these accidents.
What causes fire in EVs?
The prime reason behind this is the short circuit in the vehicles. People often ignore sparks in vehicles. In such a situation, it is necessary that the wires of the vehicle through which the current passes should not be left open. Many times this danger arises even if electric vehicles are serviced by an untrained mechanic.
Hybrid and electric vehicles catch fire due to batteries. Battery fires are more dangerous and difficult to extinguish than fires in ICE vehicles. In case of fire in petrol or diesel cars, it can be easily extinguished, as soon as the fuel of the car runs out, the fire starts to slow down. But the issue with Lithium-ion battery-powered vehicles is that even after the flames are extinguished, the energy remains in the battery, and sparking continues, causing the car to catch fire again. On the other hand, if water is poured on a car equipped with a battery, there is a risk of a short circuit. According to experts, the fire spreads faster due to a short circuit. At the same time, chemical elements are also used in the battery, which soon catches fire.
Incidents of fire in smartphones keep coming to the fore every day, Lithium-ion batteries are also used in smartphones and there have been many cases of fire in these too. Electric cars also use lithium-ion batteries and if they get too hot, they are prone to bursting or catching fire. At the same time, the use of the wrong charger also causes fire in them.
Certain other factors like environment, bad roads, high temperature, and floods are also sometimes responsible for fires in electric vehicles.
How to prevent fire accidents?
Although high maintenance of electric vehicles is required, the life of the vehicles is long. Companies making new electric vehicles take care of safety standards.
Overloading in an electric car puts more load on the car’s battery and motor. In such a situation, you should not overload your electric car. This can cause the car’s battery and motor to heat up to dangerous levels, increasing the risk of fire.
Besides, for better safety, local parts should never be used in electric cars. Getting repaired your EV from an unauthorized service center greatly increases the risk of fire in the car. The company’s original parts are a bit expensive but they are very important for the safety of your car. The parts from the company are manufactured keeping the industrial standards in mind, whereas local parts are manufactured as an imitation of original parts.