With all of the hype around moving from combustible to electric engines to save the environment, there is also a shadow-side in this push by the Climate Council for 75% of cars sold to be electric by 2030 to reach Net Zero by 2035. It's all got to do with $money, carbon tax and carbon economy via the Paris Accord, and it is playing Russian roulette with people's safety, at a huge environmental cost.
While a cleaner energy is ideal for transport, the Electric Vehicle (EV) is more of a dud than the answer to the problem, not only in mileage comparisons but also in terms of safety. The EV carries with it a fire risk from charging stations, the car battery itself, and the associated risk to the home and its occupants where it is charged. This risk is also present in underground parking lots of large residential, office and shopping complexes.
Additionally, there are other threats such as electrocution in a motor vehicle accident. Light electric vehicles (LEVs) (e-bikes, e-scooters, and e-skateboards) have been responsible for a number of fires and deaths, including one in Australia whilst charging the lithium battery in an e-bike.
Source: CNBC
FIRE RISK
THERMAL RUNAWAY is the main reason for EV fires. The battery short-circuits due to excessive heat, which causes a chemical reaction which then generates more heat. In thermal runaway, vapour gases can then ignite, causing the traction battery to explode.
Due to their intensity, these fires require larger amounts of water to be put out. According to the Confederation of Fire Protection Associations of Europe, firefighters need more than 60,000 litres of water and a flow rate of 1100 litres per minute to tackle an EV fire.
Firefighters also need to prevent the water from flowing into drains because of the toxins it picks up from the burning batteries.
During an EV fire, over 100 chemicals are generated from the battery, including toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide, which are fatal to humans.
Electric vehicle fires can reignite minutes, hours, or even days after the initial event.
It appears that EVs have been pushed onto the public in a panicked state to fast-track the Net Zero carbon reduction agenda, but with very little pre-planning around the safety of the vehicles, the toxic aftermath of lithium-ion battery fires, and efficient disposal of the vehicle after the fact.
Evfiresafe.com
London - May 2022
Firsthand sources who are connected to an Australian branch of Fire and Rescue in the research and development of a first responder tool for EV fires, discuss the nature of what's really going on behind the scenes. December 2022
"Recently I had opportunity to be involved in a discussion regarding designing a universal tool to assist first responder emergency teams when dealing with EV fires. I found it particularly interesting that the push to get the discussion going was coming from those on the ground, rather than the bureaucracy pushing for rapid expansion of all EV & similar renewable energy systems, a term that is patently an oxymoron. ...Everyone on the ground is aware of the problem and that it’s (EV battery fires) going to happen here once we have more EVs in use.
They also stated that while the powers that be are also aware, they’ve effectively shoved their collective heads in the sand and don’t want any form of talk about exploding batteries, let alone woefully inadequate infrastructure. Therefore a pro-active solution is being developed by those on the ground, to send up the chain.
ACT already has legislation that prohibits EVs from being charged underground and that there’s moves underway to legislate prohibiting them from parking underground entirely; this makes perfect sense of course, as when the day comes, and it will, that one of these disasters occur and lives are lost.
Those promoting EV’s and demanding tighter controls to encourage (force) the public into owning EV’s are not going to want to be held accountable or be seen as having contributed to creating an environment in which any such disaster was possible.
The ‘standard’ for fighting these fires is a minimum of 6,000 US gallons (22,715 Lt’s) of water, and ordinary emergency crews will not approach a burning battery-powered car because of the toxic gases produced during the fire. Once a fire is extinguished the vehicle has to be transport on a special truck and taken to special holding yards and kept under 24/7 surveillance for 7 days as these batteries will reignite if residual heat builds.
After the BBQ’d vehicle is released there’s a new problem, as no recycling plant will take the destroyed car on account of the toxic chemicals contained in the batteries. Should we perhaps slow down our rush to replace existing sources of power until we find a safer, more sustainable fuel alternative that also doesn't cost the earth? "
Maurice Rissman - R&D specialist
Electric Vehicle fires has been an issue for a number of year
www.fireextinguisheronline.com.au
The fires from an EV lithium-ion battery are toxic, long burning, create intense heat, which can re-ignite for up to 7 days, and can take up to 10 times more water than a regular car.
Each model of EV presents a different way that the fire needs to be approached and dealt with due to varying locations of the battery.
Fire and rescue firefighters feel that they are not yet properly equipped or adequately trained to deal with a multiplicity of these types of fires. So, if firefighters have an issue, what hope do car owners have if their EV was to catch fire in their garage?
Submerged EV - expensive tow truck
WHY are the Climate Council and associated Governmental departments putting the cart before the horse on these renewable energies? As per usual, they ignore global anecdotal evidence and common-sense advisors.
They continue to push these projects and policies to be in line with global Net Zero initiatives, before implementing proper safety planning and infrastructure needed to combat the consequential effects. What The Fact?!
CHAIN REACTION
"The below is the reason why some underground car-parks in Germany don’t allow electric-powered vehicles into their premises, and the same will no doubt happen here in Australia.
ACT already has legislation that prohibits EVs from being charged underground and that there’s moves underway to legislate prohibiting them from parking underground entirely.
What you see in this video is an electric car at a charging station with a shorting cell setting off a fire. Eventually, all the cars in that charging line were lost. Note the time it took to destroy 3 cars - just over 1 minute. The first car was destroyed in about 38 seconds".
Maurice Rissman
38 seconds is not enough time to get a family out of the vehicle
Further live footage of battery explosions in Electric Vehicles:
Electric Buses are no exception
On average, seven EVs catch fire per day in China
GLOBAL RECALLS
Australia is not manufacturing EVs here - they are all manufactured overseas. Here is a list of recalls specifically due to the EV Battery safety. This list is not exhaustive and does not include the multitude of other issues EVs are recalled for. For example, Tesla between 2017- 2022 has had over 2,006,546 unitrecalls for various issues.
The weight of EVs is greater than their combustion counterparts, which brings with it a whole range of issues. On average, an EV can be anywhere between 340kg and 2000kg heavier. The heavier the car, the increase in challenges for the driver and safety. The below video explains in detail.
Safety concerns with a heavier vehicle
Handling is affected
Top speed
Acceleration
Distance to complete stopis reduced
Total distance range
EV SUV & Utes will decimate smaller non EVs in an accident
ELECTROCUTION RISKS - HIGH VOLTAGE VEHICLES
Electric shock from an EV when charging is a problem no-one is talking about. In a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), along with the Australasian New Car Assessment Program, it was found that electrocution can occur. "EVs present potential hazards unique to their electrical drive systems such as electrocution, fire, explosion and electrolyte spillage." Jeffrey H. Feldman
How can electrocution occur?
A short-circuit in the battery's system
Damaged or incorrectly installed charging stations
Faulty circuit breakers in the charger's electrical source
Charging the car with wet shoes or bare feet
Touching electrical wires in the car
Touching non-insulated, charged parts of the car while bare-skinned
It may well be that soon we will not be able to avoid going down the EV pathway, placing more and more people at risk of these dangers. Norway is banning petrol cars by 2025 and Canberra wants them banned by 2035, meaning you won't have a choice. If you don't want to buy one and live by the lifestyle EVs enforce, then you simply won't have a car. Governments and vehicle peak bodies such as NRMA and RACQ need to be petitioned - make your voice be heard and get this madness stopped.
Our very own Kate Dillon spoke at the World Wide Rally for Freedom outside the Google Headquarters in Sydney on 20 May 2023. Given time restraints for each speaker, she was able to speak only in a broad manner on the Dangers of Smart Cities. […]
Australia intends to become carbon neutral by 2030 via carbon sequestrian and reduce livestock and agricultural production. RIP to Australian meat supplies.
Governments have been infiltrated and heavily influenced by external influencers, seeking to control and dominate world systems, global events, societal outcomes, population control, government policy, infrastructure, all the way down to a local level of Shire and County Councils
Philanthropy is the stairway to power that the likes of Nicola and Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest and their foundation Minderoo financially benefit from, whilst portraying their 'brands' as "socially responsible contributors to society'.
