Hybrid Car May Have Sparked Garage Blaze

"may have" = "may not have"

I'm guessing it was a very slow news day for this author.

 

I saw this article, but it is definately to early to speculate as to what may have caused it. If anything I doubt it was the car itself, but something to do with the charging station. Being into RC cars I have learned Lithium batteries are fickle beasts, and on all the batteries I own it always states to NEVER let them charge unattended. This will most likely leave a bad mark on the Volt though. As the Fiero's fire problems did with it in 1984..

 

Phht...nothing here but speculation. Infact if I was a betting man, I'd bet it wasn't the Hybrid Car...

I'd balance more on it possibly being the charger or the wiring to the charger...but even that is pure empty speculation...

All they really know is it's a garage and the fire started there...

 

All I know is, hybrids are clearly evil and the only way to ensure our own safety is to burn them and buy the largest hummers available.

 

Let's not jump into conclusion that Volt is the "game changer". I found this news article that actually suspects Volt of causing fire.

Chevy Volt Suspected of Causing House Fire | National Legal and Policy Center

 

I have a bunch sitting in basement, i really ought to put them somewhere, even in a metal container or something.

Anyway, if a Volt actually caused the house fire that's a bit of a @*#(ing big blemish on it.

But, that may be premature. They can't rule out that the Volt wasn't the cause but can't really rule out that fairies weren't, either.

 

Chevy's statement:

Let The Experts Do Their Work | Volt

 

It made ABG earlier today: Video: Garage fire claims Chevy Volt and homebuilt EV *UPDATE — Autoblog Green.

This news story refer to both cars (EV and Volt) as electric cars.

 

I can't wait for the front page news when a regular gasoline car catches on fire. Can't believe that's never happened in all these years! :sigh:

 

I am sure there have been gasoline vehicles that have caught fire in garages. From working on helicopters we constantly ground them when applying electrical power for maintenance for that off chance the vapors may catch... As far as locking batteries in metal containers though that is a little extreme. They make little pouches that withstand the initial release of energy (fire) from the batteries long enough to stop it from catching other nearby materials on fire.. Lithium batteries are something of a different nature. There have been various reports of them in cell phones, lap tops, and even flash lights catching on fire. Is always a certain risk of something going wrong with any product. Especially if things are not used accordingly with the directions. I really hope for the whole EH/PHEV or whatever they are called revolution that the car itself is vindicated. Being new to the hybrid scene I have really enjoyed my Prius, and would like to have a car capable of the things the Volt can do some day.

 

Guilty by association!

Well either that or it could just be crap journalism!

 

Sorry for tangent but those RC lithium bags are a bit pricey

BTW very surprised indeed that GM has already released a statement. I won't say that shows guilt at all, hate to even mention it, but I bet most companies would be mum.

Also more likely that the guy's home built EV samurai (?) would cause issues than the Volt.

 

Hi All,

Hmm... I wonder of that SUT over by the wall that is all deeply chared had something to do with it? Its supprising that the reporter did not even mention that, or identify what make of vehicle it was. At least she mentioned all the house hold chemicals that were probably on that charred wall of shelves.

The electrical wiring in the garage could have something to do with this too. If they got 14 ga Romex running thru cellulose insulation, where they should have had 12 ga in conduit running through fiberglass insulation, and the circuit breaker was mis-sized, welp that would be an issue. Or, if recent electrical work to upgrade to 220 volt was not performed correctly, another possibility.

 

It was morons. They are always to blame. Except when it's chickens. Foul play sometimes is involved.

 

Sarcasm? What do you mean sarcasm? Everyone knows new technology is dangerous! Those luddites knew a thing or two!

 

Um, let's see ... battery ... ICE ... yep ... it's a hybrid. Didn't know there was any other thought about what a Volt it. Is there? What'd YOU think it is?

so ... now that we have THAT bit of mystery solved ... yes ... the Volt IS just a hybrid, we can say most emphatically that the fire MAY be due to the Volt being a hybrid. It's GAS may have sparked the fire. Too bad it's not an EV ... a fire may have been ruled out that way, because there wouldn't have been 10 or 12 gallons of highly toxic explosive liquid laying around.

 

Well, this only proves just how dangerous these new-fangled "high-breed" cars really are! Not only are they directly responsible for the "moonscape" around Sudbury, Ontario (1), they are dangerous to boot!

Thankfully, conventional gas guzzling vehicles never, ever burst into flames for no reason, burn down a house, and kill people.

http://put.edidomus.it/auto/pdf/news/141009_Incendi_Ford.pdf

Ford Fire Recall: Update on Ford Fire Recall

(1) - note to trolls. Less than 1% of the nickel output from the INCO/Vale mine in Sudbury Ontario ever went to Toyota. The vast majority of nickel production is in the manufacture of stainless steel and high strength steel. Also to manufacture chrome. So a large SUV or pickup truck has far more TOTAL nickel content than a Prius - batteries included. If you don't believe me, tough shit