Trusting the group here more than other sources, what risk is there with hybrid vehicles' batteries?

Seems that enough of the "all electric" vehicles have gone Hindenburg to cause massive recalls, but I don't remember anything being said about hybrids.

Thanks-

Anything with battery propulsion can go up in smoke, from accident damage, improper care, faulty equipment.

Bolts are going up in flame due to an issue with the battery supplier, some Tesla's have gone up in smoke, then again, gas vehicles go up in flames as well.

Ala el Pinto! Fords flammable vehicle

The issue with lithium battery fires is that most fire departments don't have the equipment to deal with these fires, and after one cell explodes, the next goes, then the next and so on and can take time to burn out.

Lithium-Ion batteries are different.

Link on Lithium vs Ion fire safety

I am not aware of any widespread problems with hybrids burning. Any of those batteries can catch fire if conditions are right, but so can gasoline.

Additionally, not all hybrids use lithium cells. Some hybrids use nickel batteries, which aren't as prone to fire as lithium.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
Additionally, not all hybrids use lithium cells. Some hybrids use nickel batteries, which aren't as prone to fire as lithium.

Lithium batteries are also prone to explosion under the correct circumstances.

Here is a relevant article regarding a Hyundai recall of 100k hybrid vehicles...

Spoiler alert: it's a rod bearing failure which can lead to engine fires. So, yes, it's a hybrid vehicle catching fire--but it's the Internal Combustion Engine portion of it that's the problem.

https://www.autoblog.com/amp/2...on-2017-fire-recall/

No way in hell I'd recommend a Hyundai or Kia hybrid.

We recently bought a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid that has been averaging about 40 mpg. We never thought about battery risk when we bought it but knew Toyota has a long, successful history of building hybrids.

We just bought a new Versa. The Toyota Hybrid battery warranty is for 10 years or 150,000 miles. I have not read anything about issues with fire.
This is our third hybrid. There have been minor recalls but none about the batteries.

I have seen more vehicle fires in recent history than in the past. This covers all vehicles, not just electric/hybrid.

I feel that the electric/hybrid get more media attention due to the nature of the media (sensationalism), but far more conventional cars are burning.

I talked to a local fire chief and asked if he experienced what I saw, and he agrees. When asked why, he speculated that animal nests are the number 1 cause, followed by deteriorated fuel lines being second. Both combine with higher engine temps to cause the initial ignition.

When asked about the electrical fires, he admits that he hasn't seen as many, but reports are wire shorts from damages, or overloads (less common due to the protection circuits).

Seems these batteries are flammable and can even explode.... now why would a car company ever put sometype of fuel in a vehicle which has those dangerous properties?

Here is the one (other?) funny part I found out about the recall:

" The earlier recalls for model year 2017-2019 vehicles involved 50,932 vehicles. NHTSA is aware of one fire with the interim remedy and three fires with the subsequent remedy. "

Seems the big deal is running the batteries down too low and then trying to charge them...

I believe the issue is once they catch fire it’s difficult to put them out. Like they can burn for a day or so. The FD stays clear and lets them burn out.

Back when I lived in the Bay Area where Tesla’s are very very common there were a handful of well publicised houses burning down int the middle of the night as the Tesla sat in the garage charging. Multiple causes were blamed.

Chevy issued a warning to not charge your Bolt overnight or keep their fully charged car in the garage. Where else are people supposed to keep their car ?

Wait till hydrogen cars are as prevalent as battery cars for the Hindenburg effect

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Blume9mm:
Seems these batteries are flammable and can even explode.... now why would a car company ever put sometype of fuel in a vehicle which has those dangerous properties?

kidding right??

quote:

Originally posted by ElToro:
Wait till hydrogen cars are as prevalent as battery cars for the Hindenburg effect

I'd go for hydrogen fuel over this whole solar/wind, plug-it in extravaganza we're in the midst of. At least hydrogen is infinitely plentiful, and has much more more energy potential than attempting to harness something into a battery. For all the big talk regarding green energy, it's simply moving the pollution impacts, that the tree-huggers are so eager to point-out, further up each end of the supply-usage chain. Out of sight, out of mind environmentalism.

I think regardless of fuel/energy source, there's always going to be some kind of danger. Plenty of vids & stories of idiots not quite connecting the dots when it comes to flames, static charges, fumes and spontaneous reactions.