EV opposition in the media is ramping up

[Ruislip Resident]

You mean something like this?

View attachment 23305
If you see a square yellow sign with a large H on it and two numbers it shows where a fire hydrant is located. The top number is the diameter of the mains pipe in mm feeding the hydrant and the bottom number is how far away in meters it is. The cast iron cover will have FH on it.

Yep. That was it.

 

[Rolfe]

Maybe this needs a separate thread - do we have one about EV fires? - but I just don't understand what's going on here. These are EVs, and they're on fire, but contact with salt water? Other stuff I've watched and read has said that one of the best ways to put out an EV battery fire is large volumes of - brine.

 

[Ian Key]

For a more balanced view

 

[Archev]

Excellent factual presentation.

 

[Corindikev]

Well there are some lessons learned. Very interesting to get some real facts.

There have been 6 EV fires in Australia from the beginning of time & none involved charging.

Don't hit anything at high speed like a tree or a lump of steel hanging out the back of a truck as happened to 2 EVs.

Don't park your car in a flammable building as it might catch fire and burn your EV to a crisp like it did to 3 EVs.

Don't let someone torch your EV. That makes up the 6.

There is no such thing as a fireproof Lithium ion battery so BYD are wrong but the risk of fire is infinitesimal.

If the airbags go off the high voltage battery is automatically isolated.

You can't get electrocuted from you earthing a DC battery.

Check out the website

01 - Home | EV Fire Safe

 

[Rolfe]

I did watch it, but I found it hard to pick out the real risks from what she was saying. The sheer numbers of Teslas being implicated in the Florida story seems at odds with the numbers in that podcast. And I don't understand what salt water is actually doing to these batteries. How is it getting in? Have they been submerged over the height of the breather, which is high up above the right rear wheel arch?

 

[gnutrino]

The sheer numbers of Teslas being implicated in the Florida story

I mean, the numbers I've seen claimed top out at 21 in one source (although I can't see where they're getting that number from and I'm a bit dubious of it) with the more common number quoted being 6 (there have been ~60k Teslas sold in Florida for reference) so I'm not sure about "sheer numbers". The video you posted in particular is being a bit cheeky with this, showing lots of clips from different angles and at different stages of a single tesla fire (the red model S) mixed in with at most 2 other tesla fires with no indication of whether they were part of the Hurricane Ian incident (the white Model Y (I think) and possibly a grey/silver model S on a truck but it's obscured enough that it could be the white Model Y again after it's been charred a bit).

And I don't understand what salt water is actually doing to these batteries. How is it getting in?

If I was a betting man I'd guess that these fires were actually caused by short circuits outside of the actual battery pack - quite possibly even from the 12V system as this tends to be less well sealed/insulated compared to the HV system and there is precedent for this with e.g. the Fisker Karma fire after Hurricane Sandy. But without access to the actual details of the various incidents (which no one seems very interested in collecting and/or making public) I can't really speculate further.

 

[Rolfe]

Thanks for that. 21 is still quite a lot, but even six would worry me. The Zoe that was caught for 12 hours in a fresh-water flood had no malfunctions at all and really just needed drying out. (Easier said than done though.)

 

[Gadget Geek]

Another video from the bloke down the pub.

 

[GaryMG4]

Thanks for that. 21 is still quite a lot, but even six would worry me. The Zoe that was caught for 12 hours in a fresh-water flood had no malfunctions at all and really just needed drying out. (Easier said than done though.)

The red Model S appears to be connected to a charger in the thumbnail?

 

[Corindikev]

I gave up after the first dozen words. Rubbish.

 

[Gadget Geek]

I gave up after the first dozen words. Rubbish.

I watched it to the end so that I could give a fair critique.

This is a synopsis of the non-factual based opinion of the video creator:

More CO2 is created making an EV than an ICE.

EV batteries use up the "rare" lithium and cobalt. There won't be any left.

Skilled engineers who make internal combustion engines will be out of a job. (That's a new one )

EV's are fuelled by coal and gas power stations.

And every other myth that you've heard.

(Edit: There were no facts, figures, nor supporting evidence to support these statements.)

Don't give them the views, but do give them a thumbs down for a poor effort.

 

[jackois]

Interesting placement of a video in this Sky News piece on Musk's wages...

Elon Musk cannot keep $55bn Tesla pay package, judge rules

The billionaire has told his followers on X to 'never incorporate a company in the state of Delaware'.

news.sky.com

 

[Gadget Geek]

And another anti EV video, no doubt sponsored by the fossil fuel industry. Apparently, we all hate our EV's and want to go back to gas guzzlers.



I wouldn't bother watching, just give it a thumbs down. They just regurgitate the old myths with no evidence, just heresay.

 

[Coulomb]

Interesting placement of a video in this Sky News piece on Musk's wages...

The evident desperation (by Sky "News") brought a small smile to my lips.

 

[Gadget Geek]

Here's an idea, maybe we should start our own misinformation and myths.

When someone repeats a myth they got from the news, ask them which news outlet it was. When they tell you, nod sagely and say, "I thought as much".

Then go on to tell them that the news source they mentioned is funded by (BP, Shell, Gulf, etc, pick one at random) to spread anti EV propaganda because they are worried about their profits.

It could be true, and is more believable than the weight of an EV causing a car park to collapse.

 

[Corindikev]

Didn't you know that EVs are so heavy they are destroying all of the roads? I heard that from a bloke whose brother in law knows a woman who works for a contractor to the local council that is almost bankrupt through inept management, and haven't fixed the pot holes. This is because at least 10 people have bought EVs in the last 5 years causing potholes in 47 local roads. This bloke is the President of the RAM & F250 American giant Gas Guzzler club.

 

[Archev]

Here's an idea, maybe we should start our own misinformation and myths.

When someone repeats a myth they got from the news, ask them which news outlet it was. When they tell you, nod sagely and say, "I thought as much".

Then go on to tell them that the news source they mentioned is funded by (BP, Shell, Gulf, etc, pick one at random) to spread anti EV propaganda because they are worried about their profits.

It could be true, and is more believable than the weight of an EV causing a car park to collapse.

I let them rant on and then enquire if they’ve ever tried driving an ev ?

 

[Adam C]

Here's an idea, maybe we should start our own misinformation and myths.

When someone repeats a myth they got from the news, ask them which news outlet it was. When they tell you, nod sagely and say, "I thought as much".

Then go on to tell them that the news source they mentioned is funded by (BP, Shell, Gulf, etc, pick one at random) to spread anti EV propaganda because they are worried about their profits.

It could be true, and is more believable than the weight of an EV causing a car park to collapse.

Not so long back I saw a comment on a local Facebook group basically saying ( it was regarding our local Sainsbury car park )

“What happens in 10 years when 50% of the upper deck is occupied by heavy EVs”

To which came a reply basically asking what happens TODAY if 50% of the upper deck was used by Range Rovers, BMW X5 etc all of which are heavier than say an EV the size of can MG4, strangely enough there was no reply to this

Now I totally get that today an EV is not suitable for a lot of people but it does amaze me how some of those people get totally dragged into the “Fear Porn” about it all

 

[tsedge]

Fear, fake news and exaggeration sells and gets clicks, that's what many of these publications are desperate for to save their failed business models.

When people repeat EV misinformation to me, I agree and explain to them that it is worse than they thought; it is a WEF and government plot to remote control their movements once we all have EVs and help create the perfect passive slave society.

Then I reveal that I am one of the agents of this conspiracy looking out for EV doubters and my next act will be to report them to the Ministry of Abberant False Information and Alteration (MAFIA).

Finally, I tell them I could overlook their behaviour just this once, but only if they buy an EV in the next 4 weeks and promote EV ownership relentlessly on all social media for the rest of their lives.