"EV Phobia" - Battery anxiety

This story from the WSJ on Wednesday came to mind as I was sitting in front of shiny, new 220 Park building listening to the band at Burlingame on the Ave. this weekend.  Aside from realizing that the Carr McClellan building needs a paint job and something to cover the grimy HVAC system on the roof that we never saw before, I thought back to the big hole for the multi-level parking below 220.  

SEOUL—The uproar over a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle that burst into flames in South Korea this month wasn’t only about fire safety. Outrage emerged over the lesser-known Chinese battery maker, Farasis Energy.  Now South Korea has a fresh proposal to ease public anxiety: advising carmakers to voluntarily divulge what brand of battery sits inside their EVs.

Such information isn’t generally public knowledge globally, despite the importance EV users place on battery life and driving range. At the same time, lithium-ion batteries—should they catch fire—burn at far higher temperatures than fires in conventional gas-powered cars and are uniquely challenging for firefighters to tackle.

The Aug. 1 blaze unfolded in an underground parking lot, which are common in the densely populated country. It incinerated around 40 nearby cars and scorched around 100 others. Some apartment complexes have considered barring EVs from underground lots. Local governments are exploring whether public charging stations shouldn’t charge EV batteries beyond 80% capacity, to reduce the risk of fires. Local media described the country as undergoing a sudden “EV-phobia.”

The stories about e-bikes bursting into flames are pretty common mostly due to using way off-brand batteries.  But when a $67K Mercedes lights up 140 nearby cars, that is a different problem.  I hope someone is looking at this--whether it's 80% charges or no charging or some other idea.  And one hopes Central County Fire is aware although from what I read there isn't much they can do at the scene besides let it burn out.

Comments

[Phinancier]

Bigger trucks = bigger batteries = bigger fires = bigger toxic clouds

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/tesla-semitruck-fire-closes-i-80-19665214.php

[Joe]

We rerouted to Highway 50 to avoid the Teslaflagration on our way to North Shore yesterday. What a mess. Maybe Newsom can enforce some new regulations about battery technology that no company can actually meet in the next 10 years. Perhaps a new limit on Lithium fume releases by the EVs HE is requiring be sold? What a Clown.

[Joe]

From the WSJ:

Ford Motor is canceling plans for a large electric sport-utility vehicle and expects to take $1.9 billion in related special charges and write-downs, as automakers continue adjusting their EV plans because of softer-than-expected demand.

The Dearborn, Mich., automaker said it is scrapping plans for an electric three-row SUV, citing tough pricing pressure as automakers resort to aggressive discounts to move their EVs. This spring, Ford had said it would delay plans for that model by two years, to a 2027 release date.

Ford also pushed back the launch of a new electric pickup truck by one year, until 2027, the second time it has pushed back the timeline. In addition, Ford said it would trim its capital spending on fully electric vehicles to about 30% of its budget, from 40%.

Ford has said its EV business is on pace to lose about $5 billion this year. In the three-month period ended in June, the automaker lost about $44,000 on every electric vehicle that it sold.
--------------
Yikes: -$44K Per e-vehicle!

[Timothy Hooker]

New advancements in electric vehicle (EV) battery technology are focusing on enhancing safety while improving efficiency. A significant breakthrough is the development of solid-state batteries that eliminate the flammable liquid electrolytes used in traditional lithium-ion batteries, significantly reducing the risk of fires. These solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes, which provide better thermal stability and safety while delivering higher energy density. Researchers from the HELENA project and the University of Maryland are pioneering these technologies, aiming to make EVs safer by preventing issues like dendrite formation, which can lead to short circuits and fires​.

[Joe]

What is the likely timeline for said improvement to become production-ready and at what cost? Appreciate your expertise.