BYD Dolphin: reports of battery fires in China

[AB71]

One last thing, If like me you’ve read “ it was an EV” “it was a hybrid” that caused Luton Airport fire.
Back 23rd on show me yours

 

[Rolfe]

There are short video clips of the car on fire, taken by people who were trying to help put it out, before the damn tank exploded and everyone ran for it. Not only has it been identified as a Land Rover Range Rover Sport, the number plate could be read, and someone looked up its MOT details online. It's a 2014 (I think) model and definitely a diesel.

Not that that stops the CTs.

The car didn't burst into flames from cold. It must already been on fire when it was driven into the car park, but it's possible the driver didn't notice until he was through the ticket barrier. He never got to a parking bay - the car can be seen to have been abandoned in the access lane, outside the marked pedestrian walkway. There are two or three used fire extinguishers around it.

Something has caused the car to catch fire, possibly a faulty 12v battery, possibly leaves or something caught in a position where heat would build up, possibly the catalytic converter. There's plenty to burn in there, plastics and so on, even before it gets to the upholstery. Oils will help it keep going. Eventually the fuel tank gets so hot it leaks or explodes, sending extremely hot diesel everywhere. It's not exactly rocket science.

 

[Gadget Geek]

When driving along, any smoke produced in the engine bay from a fire would be blown under the vehicle and may have the appearance of a dirty exhaust or a leaky head gasket. It's only when the vehicle comes to a stop that the smoke comes up from the grill and wheel arches.

 

[Rolfe]

That's what my savvy ex-RangeRoverOwner friend said. He thinks nothing would have been obvious to the driver until he stopped at the ticket barrier, and he might not have noticed initially when he was fiddling with the ticket machine. Then as he drove slowly up the ramp, the fire was getting fiercer and the smoke wasn't blowing away, and he realised.

From one eye-witness account it seems as if the owner probably emptied at least one fire extinguisher into it, to no avail, before going to seek help. The eye-witness came upon the burning car and went to get another fire extinguisher from the floor above, but she couldn't do anything either and eventually nobody could get near the car and everyone sensibly evacuated.

 

[Bluecar1]

Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. Often used by Big Oil and friends to discredit EVs, making people doubt their safety, usability, etc. There is sadly a lot of it about.

With change: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. I think we're moving to stage two.

but due to how few EV battery fire are still somewhat rare, they get a lot of media time

google for petrol / diesel car fires there are a lot more

the interesting one is when you look for fires per 100,000 between EV and diesel/petrol, I can't find a reference, but I think I saw the figures a year or so back (where there were several Tesla fires) and the fires per 100,000 cars EV's have far fewer

 

[Rolfe]

I was following a thread on Twitter the other day and about three different studies of comparative fire frequency (per 100,000 vehicles) were posted. The one we've referenced several times, from Sweden, showing ICE cars on fire 20 times more often than EVs, a second showing 60 times more often, and a third showing 80 times more often!

I suppose it depends on what you're counting, but it would be interesting to see it broken down by pure petrol, pure diesel, petrol hybrid, diesel hybrid, and the EVs broken down by NMC or LFP battery.

I suspect that as EVs become more commom, and LFP batteries make up a larger percentage of EV sales, vehicle fires are going to get a lot rarer. Add to that the emergency services learning how to deal with battery fires and having the right equipment to tackle them, and the whole thing is going to become a non-issue.

 

[robertb]

Just to add some context to this. The person who released the video is SerpentZA. He's a South African guy who has a real beef with China and pretty much anything to do with China. He lived there for some years before leaving. He's also claimed in one of his videos that China will switch all of our cars off remotely when they are ready to invade us so we can't go anywhere.
It should also be noted that Electrical standards in China are very relaxed and some of the methods I've seen on Youtube of people charging an EV at home are lets just say, toe curling.
It should also be noted that the build quality of cars for their domestic market do not conform to western standards in order to make them affordable for the Chinese market. For instance, the MG bodies are hot dip galvanised to prevent corrosion. The cars built for the domestic market aren't as it's too expensive.
There are many reasons to dismiss this as mischievous fear mongering.

 

[Rolfe]

Good context, thanks.

 

[Rookery]

If you listen to the anti EV you tubers about the Luton fire they still won't accept it was not an EV and saying it's a government cover up and the fire brigade were lying, it's quite pathetic really.

 

[Rolfe]

You'd think no diesel car had ever caught fire in the whole of recorded history! News flash. Even if EVs were as dangerous as these nutters like to believe, it's still entirely possible for that fire to have been caused by a diesel car. It's not like it hasn't happened multiple times before.

 

[profdraper]

This kind of 'reporting' and disinformation needs to be called out & remains one of the most dangerous trends in contemporary times.

And so what proof does this 'influencer' actually have, other than 'publishing' sensationalisation claims? Appears atypical Amercian anti-China rhetoric, racist, ultra-right. Those people are so engaged with the distribution of disinformation, this one even somehow links BYD to Huwawei (disgusting process that one, where the CEO's daugthter was arrested as blackmail). No wonder their elections are so ridiclous, & deserve everything they get (& will likely end up in civil war).

BTW, there are many, many BYD owners all around me in Australia, a big seller here, second only to Tesla. No one, repeat no-one in Australia has had any of these 'reported' fire issues - and if any did, rest assured that would be reported like wildfire, everywhere. You know how the traditioanl media works - any bad news is big news. No, this YouTuber sit back with a faux authiatarianism with BS shirt & tie and proclaim lies like they were well-researced facts. Americans must be know as the worst 'sore losers' in the world & here, the Chinese are walking all over you.

There are short video clips of the car on fire, taken by people who were trying to help put it out, before the damn tank exploded and everyone ran for it. Not only has it been identified as a Land Rover Range Rover Sport, the number plate could be read, and someone looked up its MOT details online. It's a 2014 (I think) model and definitely a diesel.

Good one, needs to be called out for sure.

Just to add some context to this. The person who released the video is SerpentZA. He's a South African guy who has a real beef with China and pretty much anything to do with China. He lived there for some years before leaving. He's also claimed in one of his videos that China will switch all of our cars off remotely when they are ready to invade us so we can't go anywhere.

Excellent, call him out & report him

 

[Rookery]

I have just read this an article in the Telegraph.
"Electric cars can be particularly expensive to repair, costing around a quarter more to fix on average than a petrol or diesel vehicle. Experts have previously warned electric vehicles are being written off after minor bumps because of the cost and complexity of fixing their batteries."

 

[Ruislip Resident]

Re the Luton Airport fire, whilst some still say it was an EV or hybrid ( replying E10 EFL usually negates that ) the narrative amongst the EV naysayers is now that although it was a diesel that started it, the reason the fire spread around the car park was entirely ( or predominantly) due to nearby EVs subsequently catching on fire. They however have no evidence at all of what other vehicles were nearby. Responding to this by referring to the Liverpool airport fire a few years ago ( when there were significantly less EVs around) cuts no ice ( pardon the pun) with them.

 

[tsedge]

I have just read this an article in the Telegraph.
"Electric cars can be particularly expensive to repair, costing around a quarter more to fix on average than a petrol or diesel vehicle. Experts have previously warned electric vehicles are being written off after minor bumps because of the cost and complexity of fixing their batteries."

They are more expensive to repair but a lot of that is an insurance, repair and salvage industry geared up for ICE cars and with little or no experience of EVs. Most of the rest is parts availability problems.

Small accidents won't affect the battery pack at all, they should be simple Cat N non-structural repairs, like they are for ICE cars. Cat S structural repairs it will depend what is damaged - but if the battery pack is fine, it should not be much different. Needing to replace the battery will be like needing a new engine for an ICE car.

Note that changes to how manufacturers are building cars (eg Tesla's megacastings, use of epoxy/glues and laminates) are making cars more expensive to repair generally.

 

[Rookery]

Re the Luton Airport fire, whilst some still say it was an EV or hybrid ( replying E10 EFL usually negates that ) the narrative amongst the EV naysayers is now that although it was a diesel that started it, the reason the fire spread around the car park was entirely ( or predominantly) due to nearby EVs subsequently catching on fire. They however have no evidence at all of what other vehicles were nearby. Responding to this by referring to the Liverpool airport fire a few years ago ( when there were significantly less EVs around) cuts no ice ( pardon the pun) with them.

Absolutely, you know the saying don't let the truth get int he way of a good story.
They are not interested in facts they have their own agendas.

 

[tsedge]

My understanding is this is in case he started it deliberately, although he probably did not.

Luton Airport fire: Man arrested over car park blaze

The man was held on suspicion of criminal damage after the fire which destroyed more than 1,400 cars.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Rolfe]

Are you sure you meant to post that in this thread??

 

[tsedge]

Are you sure you meant to post that in this thread??

Yes.

 

[Rolfe]

OK. I suppose the thead might as well drift as not!

 

[Rookery]

They are more expensive to repair but a lot of that is an insurance, repair and salvage industry geared up for ICE cars and with little or no experience of EVs. Most of the rest is parts availability problems.

Small accidents won't affect the battery pack at all, they should be simple Cat N non-structural repairs, like they are for ICE cars. Cat S structural repairs it will depend what is damaged - but if the battery pack is fine, it should not be much different. Needing to replace the battery will be like needing a new engine for an ICE car.

Note that changes to how manufacturers are building cars (eg Tesla's megacastings, use of epoxy/glues and laminates) are making cars more expensive to repair generally.

I spoke to a chap who is in car insurance and I said a little bump front or back won't affect the battery he said we have to allow for a whiplash affect on the battery. I think this is the insurance companies just trying to getmore money out of us all.