A GM Volt erupted into flames three weeks after a crash test by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
According to a report in the Associated Press (AP), the car that caught fire was crash tested in May and three weeks later, while the car was parked at the test facility, it caught fire and set several nearby vehicles on fire.
According to the AP report, the crash test facility did not follow GM's procedure of discharging the battery after a crash and a coolant leak may have caused a short in the still-charged battery leading to the fire.
Go Auto News reported: “Instead, the wrecked Volt was left with powered-up lithium-ion batteries and leaking coolant that apparently crystallised on cold nights, eventually shorting out the battery and causing the car to catch fire, along with others in the yard.
NHTSA regulators have subsequently contacted all electrifi ed vehicle carmakers, including GM, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Ford, with questions about the fi re risk of lithium-ion batteries.”
The Australian Holden Volt launch is scheduled for the last quarter of 2012.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a statement on the potential risk of post-crash fires in vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries. Below are some extracts:
“Based on the available data, NHTSA does not believe the Volt or other electric vehicles are at a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles. In fact, all vehicles — both electric and gasoline-powered — have some risk of fire in the event of a serious crash. NHTSA urges the following precautions in the event of a crash involving an electric vehicle:
- Operators of tow trucks and vehicle storage facilities should ensure the damaged vehicle is kept in an open area instead of a garage or other enclosed building
- Rather than attempt to discharge a propulsion battery, an emergency responder, tow truck operator, or storage facility should contact experts at the vehicle's manufacturer on that subject
- Vehicle owners should not store a severely damaged vehicle in a garage or near other vehicles
- Consumers are advised to take the same actions they would in a crash involving a gasoline-powered vehicle — exit the vehicle safely or await the assistance of an emergency responder if they are unable to get out on their own, move a safe distance away from the vehicle, and notify the authorities of the crash
“The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is working with all vehicle manufacturers to ensure they have the appropriate post-crash protocols. Let us be clear: NHTSA does not believe electric vehicles are at a greater risk of fire than other vehicles. It is common sense that the different designs of electric vehicles will require different safety standards and precautions. The Department of Energy and the National Fire Protection Association already collaborate to ensure first responders know the risks and the appropriate steps to take so they can perform their jobs safely given the shock hazard that a damaged electric vehicle may present, and NHTSA will work closely with these organizations to ensure that guidance for the emergency response community reflects the information NHTSA obtains.
“NHTSA has carefully investigated an incident involving a fire in a Chevy Volt that occurred more than three weeks after that vehicle had been crash tested as part of the agency's New Car Assessment Program on 12 May of this year. NHTSA has concluded that the crash test damaged the Volt's lithium ion battery and that the damage led to a vehicle fire that took several weeks to develop after the test was completed. That incident - which occurred at the test facility and caused property damage but no injuries - remains the only case of a battery-related fire in a crash or crash test of vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries, despite a number of other rigorous crash tests of the Chevy Volt separately conducted by both NHTSA and General Motors.”