Looks like some more Volt battery fires.

:focus:

 

I was mainly applying this to the political case in the hearings. There was a story line to blame the obama administration for pressureing nhtsa to delay the news by 6 months, and the claim that nhtsa was much faster with toyota, when infact it took nhtsa years to make public statements about toyota. I don't think we really want the secretary of transportation acting the way he did with Toyota again. NTHSA does act slowly, and in many cases this is a good thing, but it should be more transparent.

 

Looking at Congressman Jordan's voting records posted above and Congressman Kelly, who are these people working for?

Volt Vehicle Fire: What Did NHTSA Know & When Did They Know It? - YouTube

 

NHTSA report is out.

It has some graphic pictures. I can see why they are now calling it explosion rather than fire. I am attaching the must see pictures:

 

Video of battery fire observation during testing!

NHTSA Chevy Volt battery fire test - USATODAY.com Video

 

That video was pretty boring

 

Yea where is the one with fire?

 

If you read the report you linked to you could surmise there was no video of the main fire. Otherwise they would have to wait around 3 weeks for it . The others were like 6 days later. They had to screw about a lot with it to get it to burn.

 

http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/...240319&Ref=AR&maxH=230&maxW=370&border=0&Q=80

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/prius-fire.jpg

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSKoil1f0SEQk2FN_xvmMYeHGaoy7qW4pYnYMitlU3joQR49E0mLs1CG9ub

http://priuschat.com/forums/members/joekc-albums-2008-prius-dies-in-fire-picture4453-img-1359pc.jpg

This just in... Toyotas can burn too.

 

All vehicles can burn. I looked it up recently and I think it was 0.5% of vehicles burn every year or something like that. I could be off by an order of magnitude (0.05% maybe), but I think that was how high it was. Gasoline is flammable it turns out .

 

The number I read was something like 200,000 vehicle fires a year.

headlines like this forum title are just sensationalist FUD, like posting those pictures above. The Volt passed all the NHTSA tests and got highest marks for keeping the occupants alive. A fire weeks after the catastrophic accident is not a safety issue, its a salvage issue.

I get the tech is novel, but the hidden agenda is liken these Li powered cars with the laptop battery fires a few years ago.

 

Confession:

Last night I was awakened around 1:00 am by the sound of a couple of loud bangs or pops from right outside my window, which looks down onto the Volt charging in the driveway. I opened my eyes and yellow and red lights where dancing on the ceiling coming very brightly through my bedroom curtains.

A contractor from the Photovoltaic system had been at the house earlier that day because of an issue in one of the controllers.

My very first thought upon waking up was "OH F#!%, The Volt is on fire!". My very second thought was what a field day you guys would have with this.

I jumped out of bed and raced to the window and pulling back the curtain saw an ambulance in my neighbors drive loading up with all the lights flashing. I then spent the next 30 minutes trying to wind down off the adrenaline rush.

True Story.

 

LOL. Are you also concern about the gas engine coming on while recharging? It'll generate carbon monoxide.

 

I charge outdoors so its not a problem for me. If I ever get around to cleaning out room in the garage I don't think it will get cold enough in there for it to be an issue.

 

I think your beer and soda will freeze out in the garage before the Volt fires up the ICE for heat.

 

Fires occurring while batteries are recharging are not unusual events. I had steel in a 300,000 sqft warehouse that was destroyed by golf cart batteries being recharged. During the lawsuits which occurred after the fire you would be amazed as to the frequency of this type of occurrence. I personally will never own any vehicle that needs to be recharged via plug.


iPad ?

 

That is completely irrational since you already have a vehicle being recharged. Is there some reason you don't think it will catch fire? The standard plug for PHEVs also has safety protocols built in that will quit the charge if there are shorts etc...

 

Irrational? My car is not plugged into any outlet. If it starts on fire while I am driving it I can certainly stop and get out. If it starts on fire in the garage while I'm sleeping I may not be so lucky. There are built in precautions with all battery chargers including the one that started the warehouse on fire.

Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just telling you what I have seen, and what my lawyers have found during the ensuing lawsuits after the fire. You may want to take the risk. I don't.


iPad ?

 

Have you also forgone the use of a cell phone, or just charge it outside your home?