Electric Taxi Explodes

**ghosthunter** · May 30th, 2012 01:13 AM

Electric Taxi Explodes In China
By Benjamin Preston
May 29, 2012 10:00 AM

The safety of electric vehicles is being questioned in China after a crash involving a BYD taxi resulted in this massive explosion, killing its driver and two passengers.

Only two weeks after a Ferrari 599 GTO-taxi collision left three dead in Singapore, a drunk driver in a red sports coupe crashed into two taxis in Shenzhen, China.

One of the cabs, an electric BYD, burst into flames just after impact, incinerating its driver and passengers. The driver of the coupe reportedly had been drinking, was seen by witnesses driving very fast, and may have been distracted by the three women riding with him. He fled the accident, but later turned himself in to Shenzhen authorities.

A passing cab driver caught the fire on video.

source: http://jalopnik.com/5913798/electric...ium=socialflow

**ghosthunter** · May 30th, 2012 01:27 AM

More...

**ghosthunter** · May 30th, 2012 09:27 AM

Would the issue of being a potential fire hazard be a major problem with electric vehicles?

Personally I didn't realize the big fire potential until I saw the video. A simple short in the battery packs can quickly cause a catastrophic melt-down and fire in the car itself and also setting fire to the immediate area around it.

:burn:

**111prez** · May 30th, 2012 10:29 AM

paano kaya kung EV ang minaneho sa baha?

we should be informed

**niky** · May 30th, 2012 10:55 AM

Actually, if the electrics are sealed, it's as safe or safer than a gas car.

Explosion... Depends on battery type. That is the big issue with Lithium... but it also depends on how strong the pack structure is made.

**oj88** · May 30th, 2012 11:09 AM

Batteries store a whole lot of potential energy. I've worked on small (< 5KVA) uniterruptible power supplies (UPS) earlier in my career and have had my share of unsolicited fireworks. It's crazy. But then, these are just relatively small-capacity lead-acid batteries, compared to those used on EVs (larger in both size and quantity).

It's a wonder to realize that EV passengers are literally sitting on top of volatile "incendiary bombs".

**ghosthunter** · May 30th, 2012 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by oj88

It's a wonder to realize that EV passengers are literally sitting on top of volatile "incendiary bombs".

That's my point. Those with personal experience in electrical "fireworks" with batteries know the issues first hand, yet most people wouldn't realize the potential fire bomb they are sitting inside or parked in their garages.

And you don't have to short the battery terminals to start a battery fire. An accident can puncture/damage lithium ion batteries and can cause them to burst into flames by damaging the internal structure. Or defects in manufacturing the lithium-ion battery may cause batteries to get hot or catch on fire, like many laptop fires.

**niky** · May 30th, 2012 12:47 PM

That's why the focus is on crash-structure for higher-end EVs. There have been no explosions or fires for the iMIEV, Leaf or Volt. (the only Volt fires happened to crash-tested Volts... weeks after the crash.)

-

Pointing to a Chinese-made BYD taxi blowing up after a severe collision is like complaining about the Vios that caught fire when it turned turtle (EDSA)... saying that means all gasoline cars are dangerous... or pointing to the taxi LPG explosion as a sign that all LPG cars are dangerous.

While all cars, regardless of fuel type, are an explosion risk, the question is how big of a risk this really is in day-to-day use.

What this all means is... mag-diesel nalang kayong lahat!

**parakitoJDM** · May 30th, 2012 06:09 PM

and the alleged driver had been drinking in MacCawley's Shenzhen (or at the bar beside it) is where i occasionally drink myself...and the accident occured on QiaoCheng East Rd. near to where i play tennis....
its sad though for the victims and sad for BYD as they lost quite alot in their stock value following this bad news.... BTW this e6 taxi is my preferred taxi against the Corolla Altis and VW taxi's plying here in Southern China due to the simple reason you don't need to pay the RMB4 (equiv Php28) fuel surcharge as its electrically powered...

**ghosthunter** · May 30th, 2012 06:24 PM

But this is not the first and only incident. In 2011, a chinese taxi company using all EVs had a fire which destroyed the taxi cab. Luckily, no one was hurt in that incident.

LINK: Electric Taxi Explodes in Flames