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Battery Fires Are Making Electric Cars and Bikes Look Bad
A sober look at the problem reveals less of one than hysterical headlines suggest, and some technological answers that make EVs and other vehicles far safer than gas-powered ones. Subscribe to CNET: Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉 Follow us on TikTok: Follow us on Instagram: Follow us on Twitter: Like…
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Checking Out the Afeela Prototype
Tech reporter Abrar Al-Heeti got the chance to check out the Sony x Honda Afeela prototype at TechCrunch Disrupt. Here’s what she found inside. #techcrunchdisrupt #sonyafeela #sony #honda #cars Subscribe to CNET on YouTube: Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉 Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront: Follow us on TikTok: Follow us…
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Eddy
December 10, 2022 at 7:52 pm
Why is this guy always bashing on EVs? I starting to thing the gasoline companies are paying him 😂
John PublicProfile
December 10, 2022 at 10:20 pm
Err, did you even watch the video?
He came down pro EV at the end.
Eddy
December 10, 2022 at 10:25 pm
@John PublicProfile he makes a ton of EV videos where he bashes them
Shue Cha
December 10, 2022 at 10:33 pm
@John PublicProfile Lol. He didn’t watch the full video.
John PublicProfile
December 10, 2022 at 11:53 pm
@Eddy That may be. But did you watch this particular video before suggesting he was in the pay of petrochemical companies when he is actually making EVs look good?
It just makes us EV nerds sound like… err… EV nerds, when we make blind accusations like that 😉
Robert Chow
December 10, 2022 at 8:00 pm
Car fires are more common with internal combustion engines but we’re not going to do anything about it.
Dan :D
December 10, 2022 at 8:06 pm
The electric car people can have fun being the guinea pigs, I’ll stick to gas for the next 20 years
J T
December 10, 2022 at 8:16 pm
Rare to see lots of real, proper detail in such reports. Well done.
Michael Jordan
December 10, 2022 at 8:25 pm
No free lunches. If you want the energy density, you have to accept that it will occasionally get out of control.
Mbak Tari
December 10, 2022 at 8:39 pm
BATTERY IS NOT THE ANSWER for everything. Any LIQUID FUEL has more ENERGY DENSITY than today battery.
We might use NISSAN E-POWER TECHNOLOGY but eliminate the battery frm it. Using BIO-FUEL to run the engine.
Jason
December 10, 2022 at 8:50 pm
The main issue is lack of training for first responders. They be using water on EVs and E-bikes. Fires on these are electrical fires. Water is the worst thing to use for Electrical fires. They need to train them to use foam and other flame suppression chemicals that are used for electrical fires like they would for a power station fire.
Right now all they doing is wasting water which makes the electrical discharge worse. The fire eventually stops after battery is fully discharged.
Luis Aguilar
December 10, 2022 at 8:53 pm
Here in Arizona during the summer, about four cars, a week ignite and catch fire.
Smarter Than You
December 10, 2022 at 9:09 pm
There are 175x as many ICE cars on the road vs EVs comparing them is irrelevant
DontBanMeBroDontBanMe!
December 10, 2022 at 9:17 pm
I think the most important thing to note is what was said half way through this video: there are more gas car fires than battery car fires (I don’t think anyone cares about something like your smart phone catching fire). According to AutoWeek, there are 1,529.9 fires for every 100K gas vehicles and only 25.1 fires for every 100K electric vehicles. Obviously, even one fire is one too many. I just want to put things in perspective. If there’s a car fire, almost certainly it will be a gas one.
kaös
December 10, 2022 at 9:26 pm
Imagine all the pollution
AlJackie Non2
December 10, 2022 at 9:36 pm
Thanks soo much for leveling the playing field!!! People are too quick to point fingers at EVs’
Brushless Motoring
December 10, 2022 at 9:37 pm
Good job CNET – well written, well presented, and great to see you delve into LiFePO4 too (LFP) – BYD’s blade battery can be drilled without combustion.
UL certification for e-bikes and re-manufactured packs will help I think – Propel Bikes also did a good episode about the perception issues around scooters and e-bikes catching fire in apartments. This does seem like a golden opportunity for Oil and Gas to exploit and fear monger about – and they seem to seizing it.
Great to see a balanced video about batteries.
Matt Bosley
December 10, 2022 at 10:06 pm
Well, I’ve owned two gasoline cars that caught fire and burned. Problems with the engine. So not owning an electric vehicle is no guarantee.
Matt Bosley
December 10, 2022 at 10:08 pm
And have christmas trees been banned at these places? I can’t tell you how many christmas tree fires I’ve read about. Makes as much sense as banning electric scooters.
Surfntrucks
December 10, 2022 at 10:24 pm
0:03 Brian says “long rang cars.” and the editor shows a Prius.🤣
Travis Yarbrough
December 10, 2022 at 10:49 pm
I like the click bait BS like this that is got Red Hatters fired up with lies and noise ……. Super rare but Red Hats will run with this BS for sure ….
Rene Molina
December 10, 2022 at 11:13 pm
I hate this old man, get him outta here. What a whiny voice. His old man hate of technology is so palpable lately. Woof.
L J
December 10, 2022 at 11:13 pm
Wow, for once you don’t carry the leftist Biden message, you are confusing me. 😂
sweiland75
December 10, 2022 at 11:33 pm
LOL The anti-EV propaganda is hilarious!
marsupial
December 11, 2022 at 12:01 am
EVs are hazardous. They are un-american. And they must be banned.
Josh Howard
December 11, 2022 at 12:54 am
Good video, always enjoy a balanced discussion.
S O
December 11, 2022 at 1:01 am
You can extinguish an ICE vehicle, while an EV cant be extinguished and the vehicle needs to be parked in an open field for weeks or submerged in water for a long period of time.
Siddarth Siddu
December 11, 2022 at 1:14 am
Petrol and gasoline are safe and non flammable environmental safe green natural fuels right?
David Cuerpo Jr
December 11, 2022 at 1:23 am
I work in a city fire department and we rarely see electric vehicle fires. Though it typically happens after a collision that compromises the battery.
Electric bike and scooter fires have become exponentially more frequent because 1) people charge them inside their homes often next to other combustible materials, 2) people don’t check to see if the battery has physical damage, 3) they park them in areas that block escape routes, 4) using a cheap 3rd party battery or charger and 5) lithium ion battery fires burn way faster than normal household items. They they can become out of control within 30 seconds and don’t trigger smoke alarms.
Mister-eGolf
December 11, 2022 at 3:29 am
Great video it seems like you are learning something from @transportevolved!
Mustard Tiger
December 11, 2022 at 3:37 am
battery fires, how about gasoline fires. great assessment of danger presented here.
heresteven
December 11, 2022 at 4:03 am
Doesn’t it takes like 40,000 gallons of water to put out a EV fire. 4 times more than a regular car fire. 10,000 gallons is about what a gasoline tanker truck holds. Fire trucks may only hold 500 to 1000 gallons. And EV fires burns upward to 5000 degrees, destroying the entire vehicle. Insurance companies must be tickled about that. And a EV fire is also an electrocution hazard to fire fighters. Voltages like a 1000 volts. Florida is having fun with EVs that got wet with salt water.
Mark Plott
December 11, 2022 at 11:32 pm
NOPE , you can KNOCK out a battery fire in just 2 minutes then a DUNK tank .
heresteven
December 11, 2022 at 11:54 pm
@Mark Plott
Oh sure. Everyone has a car size one laying around
Bill Boxall
December 11, 2022 at 4:07 am
The battery fires should make them look bad. Because companies that insist on using old battery technology IS bad. LFP batteries don’t catch fire. Neither do sodium batteries. The bad companies pushing old battery technology need to get with it.
Kent Purdy
December 11, 2022 at 4:11 am
Great 360 view of car fire issues
rod mitchell
December 11, 2022 at 4:29 am
What about all the fires in ice cars ….Why don’t you report on that
Short Version 1.0
December 11, 2022 at 5:03 am
That’s why I love gas cars and bikes! They literally never catch on fire, and they really aren’t that bad for your respiratory system when you inhale the fumes!
Matthew Wiemken
December 11, 2022 at 5:12 am
You covered the topic of lithium ion battery safety well:)
PatsinPA
December 11, 2022 at 5:35 am
CNET, I’m conflicted about watching Brian Cooley. While he’s the main EV spokesman for your YouTube channel and presents a lot of great information about the vehicles and tech, he doesn’t actually own or drive an EV. This feels like a mistake having him in charge these segments then. While I like his relatable presenting style, it would be like an Amish farmer reviewing flatscreen tvs. Just because he visited a Best Buy, or googled a topic is not enough to be a subject matter expert. Have someone presenting who is more living the EV lifestyle than a skeptic who is waiting for the magical future of 500mi EV range for under $30k with chargers at every gas station or parking lot. Nope, the future is now. Thanks!
Mark Plott
December 11, 2022 at 11:34 pm
BRIAN is a paid MOTHPIECE for gm/FUD motors.
BRIAN is a LIAR & FRADULANT.
Experience Electric
December 11, 2022 at 7:28 am
something people need to realize is that a drill or even an ebike battery for instance, are not the same as an electric car. So this whole seeing a drill catch fire and then saying “this is why I wont own an EV” needs to stop. EV’s have far better battery management whereas most drill batteries have NONE. You can short the terminals of most drill batteries today, even big brands like Milwaukee, and the battery will overheat and burst. This is not achievable in an EV. There is also the factor of leaving the battery on the charger for weeks or months at a time; again, something that doesnt happen in EV’s. Even if you are to leave the car plugged in, the battery management will physically disconnect the battery electrically from the charging source. The only real problem with EV’s and fire, is damage to the battery or battery housing where water or moisture enters the system. There needs to be better detection of this. Keeping the battery housing under pressure would be a good start.
Experience Electric
December 11, 2022 at 7:36 am
all you hear any more about the progressive movement away from oil is battery fires and mine processes. Why has reporting on oil spills become a forbidden area of reporting? The keystone pipeline just leaked 14,000 barrels of oil into Kansas creek. Nobody shouting “EV’s are bad” is talking about that tho, right?
CannonKnight
December 11, 2022 at 7:46 am
Not sure I’m a fan of the hostage prisoner style video. Cooley’s best in a more natural setting.
Matt Bell
December 11, 2022 at 8:31 am
My Camry had to go in for repair because of a fire risk recall.
It was an issue with the lubricant on the power window switch.
Car fires can start a lot of ways
KK AND EV
December 11, 2022 at 8:39 am
The Stats show that mixing both a fossil fuel engine along with a Battery pack is the worst scenario by far.
I would never own a HYBRID and fires are one of the reasons why. Modern FULL ELECTRIC CARS are very very safe and even more so with LFP Batteries (go Google) over any other form of “fuel/power”.
What has attracted the media and BIG OIL to make a massive thing about what is still a relatively rare occurrence is a lot of folk see it as a good excuse to be ANTI against the concept of anything Electric powered.
Cheap Indian/Chinese mopeds, scooter and bikes have attracted more issues as most have ZERO BMS on board so are far more likely to have issues. As regards the Stats on Fossil fuel fires.. go ask Jay Leno how unsafe they can be.
Dark Star
December 11, 2022 at 10:32 am
Only if ur an id*t they do….
Daniel Wx
December 11, 2022 at 11:11 am
Dużo samochodów płonie nie tylko elektryki, benzyna też! A ile osób rocznie umiera od zanieczyszczeń spowodowanych spalaniem benzyny???
Daniel Wx
December 11, 2022 at 11:12 am
W samochodach elektrycznych można zmienić źródło zasilania na inne, lepsze a w benzynowych nie!
thecocopopscroc
December 11, 2022 at 1:01 pm
electric cars look bad due to lithium ion in general never mind the fires the pollution caused is so bad as well as raping the planet for the last of the lithium plus they need electric that’s produced in a not so clean way, bring on hydrogen cars i guess ebikes and stuff aren’t too bad since they use a lot less cells and toyotas solid state batteries sound promising but time would have to tell
Name User
December 11, 2022 at 7:37 pm
If your engine catch fire there will be signs before it fully erupts. With Ev’s you are sitting on top of the battery. Big difference.
Mark Plott
December 11, 2022 at 11:31 pm
FALSE, EV fires start with battery failure, usually is LIMITED to just single module.
IF module is not made Correctly , the whole module can catch fire,.
TESLA has fuses on each indiviual cell , each cell is smothered in FIRE retadant foam , and each Module self ISOLATES from other cells .
Name User
December 12, 2022 at 2:09 am
@Mark Plott ok pal
Randall Walker
December 11, 2022 at 8:37 pm
Well Tesla car had huge acid mix metal inside battery isn’t good for American because of grow toxic so you can’t drink water, farm, fish, whatever. It is 1500 to 2,000 lbs of battery very huge acid like nuclear! If hurricane, storm, flood, blackout, snow Tesla car don’t have any emergency! Well battery don’t be long like less 3 to 5 years till die you have to get 20,000 to 25,000 dollar on new battery. You go bankrupt! One more thing please do not throw acid under ground! Lithium-ion isn’t green energy but oil is more clean green energy!
Mark Plott
December 11, 2022 at 11:25 pm
CNET – battery fires are FAKE NEWS.
how about REPORTING on the 900,000 gas cars fires in America each YEAR.
Mark Plott
December 11, 2022 at 11:47 pm
the TOYOTA Prius is , NOT a long range car , the TESLA model S can go 400+ miles on single charge.
heresteven
December 12, 2022 at 12:04 am
You should lecture Apple employees. I had such a hard time to get my $50 iphone battery replaced. The battery suffered an overheating event. I did not want that phone sitting around the house and start a fire so I wanted it replaced. Apple employee says it tested good and did not want to replace the bettery. But they don’t get it. Paying $50 to avoid a battery fire is cheaper than rebuilding a new house.
John_Dee14
December 12, 2022 at 12:08 am
Ratios, need to hear more on the comparative ratios.
Antonio Sanchez
December 12, 2022 at 1:31 am
ALERT!!! I had a revelation: Chinese electric vehicles are bombs that in a future war the CCP will remotely detonate and explode via satellite and other communication protocols and devices such as cel phones or hotpoints, . They will know who is leading them, if they are military and any person of interest to eliminate. Some could be remotely guided to gather several of them at a specific point and make a super bomb. Don’t sell them, don’t buy them. It is a diabolical plan… Many innocent people will die. Im asking God to Bless and Protect us in the name of Jesus Christ!
Euzer
December 12, 2022 at 5:20 am
but do gas cars catch fire after they’ve been sitting there for several hours turned off?
Kin
December 12, 2022 at 5:31 am
This video is sponsored by your local gas station.
Sarang 1
December 12, 2022 at 9:57 am
Reliable product should be available for all,no compromise in quality.
nappiral
December 12, 2022 at 8:30 pm
Always a good day when they let Cooley out of the basement to make a video.
MacTX
December 12, 2022 at 9:51 pm
LiFePO4 is the obvious alternative choice, highly stable and difficult to get it to burst into fire even when intentionally trying, it’s the only thing we have currently that is even close in capacity.
Cary Nelson
December 12, 2022 at 10:48 pm
I would guess there would be more gas car fires since there are way more on the road then EV’s. Seems better to compare what percentage of gas cars caught fire to the percentage of EV’s that caught fire.
Weeklongwind 647
December 13, 2022 at 12:58 am
Good thing Elon Musk is now making nickel batteries. Welp now we know what’s the safest electric car company to trust in the future. Oh wait that’s still a type of lithium ion…
Edit: Funny thing how I got an advertisement for an E-Bike while watching this video 💀💀💀. “Wow smart marketing plan.”
James Johnson
December 13, 2022 at 2:00 am
Great info as always, especially enjoyed the bit about car fires. You only hear about the EV ones because they’re interesting; no one’s surprised when an old Pinto catches fire but EVs get headlines all the time. Granted it would be nice if the number was zero but hey, maybe someday as long as the technology continues to improve.
Tyler Ward
December 13, 2022 at 2:12 am
Make sure you buy from legit battery makers, not the cheap knockoff chinese batteries. They are much much more reliable then chinese knockoffs. I’ve yet to have an issue with my ebikes batteries.
Rudy De Volder
December 13, 2022 at 3:57 am
LFP batteries are almost impossible to catch fire, the only downsite is they have 25 percent less capacity for the same weight, but there are more promising versions in development.
Dave J Cp
December 13, 2022 at 7:04 am
BYD’s LFP blade battery is the safest.
Dell Martens
December 13, 2022 at 7:12 am
Gasoline car fires don’t require 20,000 gallons of water to put out unlike an EV. Not to mention that they don’t spontaneously combust. EVs also emit way more toxic chemicals when burning than ICE cars
Critical Chris
December 14, 2022 at 12:17 am
LiFePo4 chemistry batteries ought to be called (by laypersons) “lithium phosphate” batteries, since “lithium iron” sounds too much like the more hazardous “lithium ion,”and the two chemistries could be confused by uninformed news media and policy-makers.