Three weeks after a recent side crash test performed by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), a part electric-part gasoline Chevrolet Volt caught fire. The car had been sitting for that amount of time at the Wisconsin facility’s testing center unprovoked and according to a number of accounts, the blaze started due to the Lithium-ion battery that makes the Volt a Volt. According to an Automotive News article, the official investigation by the NHTSA has yet to be made public, but a recent media advisory issued by General Motors themselves, the organization is in fact investigating the battery of certain cars.
Due to the probe, U.S. auto-safety regulators are knocking at the door of GM, Ford and Nissan who all use lithium-ion battery in their EVs. This might have been sparked by a reported second fire involving a residentially-owned Volt in North Carolina. According to Jim Federico, General Motors chief engineer for electric vehicles, GM is now working directly with the NHTSA to finish up the investigation. A industry-wide protocol for dealing with safety of EVs is also being worked on by GM and other manufactures. The goal is to raise the awareness on what towing outfits and first responders need to do when taking care of a EV accident.
“First and foremost, I want to make this very clear: the Volt is a safe car. We are working cooperatively with NHTSA as it completes its investigation. However, NHTSA has stated that based on available data, there’s no greater risk of fire with a Volt than a traditional gasoline-powered car,” said Federico.
Source: GM and AutomotiveNews.com
