EV Fires in Wake of Florida Flooding Draw Scrutiny

October 21, 2022

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
October 21, 2022

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and other officials from the state are seeking answers from electric vehicle (EV) makers and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in the wake of EVs catching fire due to flooding that occurred with Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida in late September.

In an Oct. 13 letter to Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation, Scott said that along with the damage caused by the storm itself, “the saltwater flooding in several coastal areas has had further destructive consequences in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian by causing the lithium ion batteries in flooded electric vehicles (EVs) to spontaneously combust and catch fire.”

He said that this “emerging threat has forced local fire departments to divert resources away from hurricane recovery to control and contain these dangerous fires.”

Scott said that the current guidelines from EV manufacturers on the impacts of saltwater submersion on the operability of the vehicles does not adequately address the issue. “As increasing numbers of EVs come to market nationwide, this threat demands action by the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop guidance to properly caution consumers about this risk posed by EVs submerged in saltwater,” he wrote.

Scott asked Buttigieg to respond to the following questions:

• What guidance has the U.S. Department of Transportation required EV manufacturers to provide to consumers to communicate the dangers related to a vehicle impacted by saltwater flooding with their customers?
• What guidance has the U.S. Department of Transportation provided directly to consumers and EV operators about precautions to prevent their EV from combusting and catching fire after a saltwater flood?
• What safety precautions or protocols has the U.S. Department of Transportation developed and made publicly available for owners of EVs when inclement weather is approaching?
• What guidance has the U.S. Department of Transportation provided to EV manufacturers to address and prevent this issue before EVs leave the factory?
• Has the U.S. Department of Transportation worked with the appropriate federal agencies to develop strategies and resources for local fire departments combatting EV fires?

In a separate Oct. 13 letter to EV manufacturers, Scott asked them to answer the following questions:

• Are you considering recalling these vehicles until there are sufficient safety measures in place to prevent these fires?
• What guidance has your company provided to consumers to communicate the dangers related to a vehicle impacted by saltwater flooding?
• What guidance has your company distributed to consumers and EV operators about precautions to prevent their EV from combusting and catching fire after a saltwater flood?
• What safety precautions or protocols has your company developed and made publicly available for owners of EVs when inclement weather is approaching?
• What has your company provided to consumers to address and prevent this issue before EVs leave the factory?
• Has your company worked with the appropriate federal agencies to develop strategies and resources for local fire departments combatting EV fires?

Florida Fire Marshal Also Seeks Answers

Meanwhile, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis on Oct 17 sent a letter to more than 30 EV manufacturers, including Tesla, Rivian, Ford, GM, and others.

In the letter, Patronis asked EV manufacturers to do more in helping firefighters mitigate risks associated with battery fires caused by salty storm surge waters from Hurricane Ian.

He also asked nine questions of the manufactures to assess and identify methods to limit the risk of EV fires.

In his letter to Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, Patronis said that the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently confirmed that test results specific to saltwater submersion show that salt bridges can form within the battery pack and provide a path for short circuit and self-heating, which in turn can lead to fire ignition.

The federal agency also confirmed that, “Lithium-ion vehicle battery fires have been observed both rapidly igniting and igniting several weeks after battery damage occurred.”

Patronis on Oct. 7 sent a letter to the NHTSA requesting information on the fire risks associated with saltwater on EVs.

EV makers Rivian and Tesla did not respond to questions from Public Power Current for the story.