Why do electric cars catch fire without apparent cause? A simple explanation

Electric cars are becoming more common on our streets, and while they’re a great option for reducing pollution, there’s a lesser-known side that might surprise you: sometimes they catch fire without an obvious reason. This doesn’t happen with every car, nor is it an everyday occurrence, but when it does, it’s a serious issue. Let’s break it down simply—why this happens, why it’s dangerous, and why putting out these fires is so tricky, even underwater.
 
Why do they catch fire without warning?
 
Electric cars run on large batteries, usually lithium-ion ones, which store a lot of energy to power the vehicle. These batteries are like the ones in your phone or laptop, but far more powerful. The trouble is that if something goes wrong inside the battery, a fire can start out of nowhere. Here’s why that might happen:

Internal Damage: If the battery gets damaged (say, in a crash) or has a manufacturing flaw, its internal parts can short-circuit. This creates heat, and if the heat builds up too much, the battery catches fire.
 
Chemical Failure: Inside the battery are chemicals that, if they get out of control (due to overheating or a glitch), react with each other and release flammable gases. It’s like a tiny explosion that sparks a fire.
 
Overheating: If the car is charged improperly, used in extreme conditions, or the battery gets old, heat can pile up and trigger what’s called a “thermal runaway.” One battery cell heats up, affects the ones next to it, and soon the whole thing is ablaze.
What’s odd is that there isn’t always an obvious spark or impact. Sometimes the problem starts slowly inside the battery, and then—boom!—the car’s on fire.
 
Why is it so dangerous?
 
A fire in an electric car isn’t like one in a gasoline car. Here’s why:
It Burns Fast and Hot: Lithium-ion batteries release a ton of energy quickly, so the fire spreads fast and reaches super high temperatures—up to 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,800°F) or more. That can make the fire jump to nearby objects.
 
Toxic Gases: When the battery burns, it releases smoke with harmful chemicals, like hydrofluoric acid. Breathing that is dangerous for people and the firefighters trying to put it out.
 
It Can Reignite: Even if the fire seems to be out, damaged batteries can flare up again hours or days later because the chemical reaction keeps going.
This makes a burning electric car a risk not just for the driver, but also for neighbors, firefighters, and anyone nearby.
 
Why can’t it be fully extinguished, even with water?
 
Firefighters have found that putting out an electric car fire is a nightmare. With a gasoline car, you douse it with water or foam, and though it takes effort, the fire eventually stops. But with lithium-ion batteries, it doesn’t work that way. Here’s why:
 
The Fire’s Inside: The battery is like a sealed box. Even if you pour water on the outside, the fire keeps going inside because the chemical cells are reacting with each other. Water can’t reach the source.
 
It Reacts With Water: The lithium in the battery can produce more heat and flammable gases, like hydrogen, when it meets water. Instead of going out, the fire might get worse!
 
It Burns Underwater: There are cases where burning electric cars have been submerged in water (like after a crash), and the batteries still sparked and smoked. That’s because the chemical reaction doesn’t need oxygen from the air—it uses oxygen already inside the battery.
So, firefighters don’t try to fully extinguish it. Instead, they contain it: they cool the car with tons of water to lower the temperature and stop the fire from spreading, waiting for the battery to “burn itself out.” Sometimes, this can take hours or even days.
 
What does this mean for us?
 
The fact that an electric car can catch fire like this doesn’t mean we should fear them or stop using them.
These incidents are rare compared to the number of electric cars out there. But it’s clear that a gasoline car is much safer since—in this sense—it will never spontaneously combust like electric cars do. 

However is good to know that:
Manufacturers are working on making safer batteries.
Firefighters are learning new ways to handle these fires, like using fireproof blankets or special containers (though right now, very few fire stations have these tools).
If you own an electric car, follow charging instructions and keep it in good shape, since misuse can raise the risk.

In short, electric car fires are uncommon, but when they happen, they’re tough to control because the batteries have a special chemistry that makes them burn in a unique way. They don’t go out like a normal fire, so firefighters can only limit the damage while the blaze runs its course. It’s a modern challenge that reminds us that, as technology advances, it also brings new problems we need to understand and solve.
 
And now, what everyone should do is:

Manufacturers should continue researching to create batteries that don't pose this serious risk.

Governments should train their firefighting teams and provide them with the necessary materials for when they have to control one of these fires.
 
And in the meantime, consumers shouldn't rush to buy an electric car until manufacturers and governments have solved this problem. Gasoline cars will never catch fire on their own.
 

A chance encounter will take him far away, on a thrilling adventure full of action and emotion that will change his life... but also the lives of everyone around him…
“Fleeing into silence”: https://a.co/d/7SUfVb3

The poison without an antidote (Part 2)

Gramoxone (paraquat) was a herbicide that, once applied (by spraying it onto the weeds we wanted to eliminate), dried them out with remarkable speed. It didn’t matter what kind of weed it was—Gramoxone was what’s known as a “total herbicide” and a “contact herbicide,” meaning it dried out anything it touched… as long as it was green. That was one of its major advantages: it only affected the green parts of plants (disrupting photosynthesis and killing the plant) and had no impact on non-chlorophyll-producing parts like trunks, branches, or roots. This meant there was no issue if the spray reached tree trunks during application—it wouldn’t harm them; it targeted only the green foliage. On the flip side, since it killed the green parts of weeds without affecting their roots, those weeds could regrow over time. But that wasn’t a problem either—you could simply spray them again and dry them out once more.
 
Those unfamiliar with agriculture might wonder, “Why would a farmer want to dry out weeds?” In the farming world, these plants are called “weeds”—not because they’re inherently bad, but because they grow where farmers don’t want them. Like all plants, weeds draw moisture and nutrients from the soil, competing with the crops that sustain the farmer’s livelihood. A field cleared of weeds allows crops to grow healthier and stronger, yielding more and better produce by eliminating those rival plants.
 
Gramoxone had other advantages too: it deactivated upon contact with soil, leaving no residue; it wasn’t volatile; and it worked effectively regardless of weather conditions or soil type. Its extreme versatility was evident in its many uses—it wasn’t just for drying weeds that competed with crops. It was also used to clear grass from rooftops, paved areas, and even along railway tracks across Spain, where a specialized company applied it to prevent overgrown weeds from posing a derailment risk. One of its most popular slogans captured this perfectly: “For any weed, at any time, in any place.” In short, it was a product every farmer kept on hand and used frequently.
 
It came in containers of 250 cc, 1 liter, and 5 liters as a soluble liquid. The recommended dilution was 400 to 600 cc per 100 liters of water. Once prepared, this mixture was sprayed onto the weeds and unwanted growth, taking care not to hit the green parts of the crops being protected. Naturally, it was emphasized that users should wear proper protective gear—overalls, gloves, and a mask—to ensure the spray didn’t contact their skin or lungs during application.
 
Trust and Risk
 
But I’ve used words like “care,” “protected,” and “protection”—words that stand in stark contrast to another: “familiarity.” And that’s where the trouble began. Gramoxone (paraquat) was so widely used by so many farmers that it had become almost too familiar—practically a member of the family. And with familiarity comes overconfidence, and with overconfidence… risks start to emerge.
(To be continued…)
 

A well-documented exploration of Medicine, Pharmacy, and rural society in the 19th century through two biographies that should not be forgotten:
“Kisses are tears”: https://a.co/d/eCok2Y0

The poison without an antidote (Part 1)

Can you imagine a deadly poison with no antidote, one that anyone could easily and cheaply buy? Can you picture a lethal poison sold by the hundreds of thousands worldwide every year? Well, such a poison existed for decades, with hundreds of thousands of units sold annually, and it wasn’t until 2007 that its sale began to be banned in some countries. This is my story of working with that hugely successful commercial product: paraquat.
 
When I started my career in the agrochemical industry at the British multinational ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) back in 1983, I was introduced to the company’s flagship product: Gramoxone. This herbicide, with paraquat as its active ingredient, was the company’s top seller globally, including in Spain, and within its category, it reigned as the most widely sold herbicide of all. As the Advertising Manager for the company, my job was to create advertising campaigns and organize promotions to ensure this product maintained its market dominance. With an advertising budget of around 200 million pesetas (equivalent to 1.2 million euros) in 1980s terms, Gramoxone claimed the lion’s share of those funds. I used it to launch major advertising campaigns and dazzling promotional events. That’s how I became intimately familiar with this product, as did countless farmers who were its primary customers—though, in truth, you didn’t need to be a farmer to buy it.
 
Anyone could purchase it freely at garden centers, nurseries, agricultural supply stores, and even at the company’s own retail shop on Ferraz Street in Madrid—the same street where the headquarters of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) is located. That store was open to the public, and all sorts of people walked in to buy. Curiously, some spent more on insecticides or fungicides for the little plants in their balcony pots than the plants themselves were worth. It would’ve been cheaper to replace the plants than to buy products to fight their pests! What’s more, the insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, and other items sold in that shop were designed for agricultural use, with labels listing dosages per hectare, not per flowerpot.

(To be continued…)

A well-documented exploration of Medicine, Pharmacy, and rural society in the 19th century through two biographies that should not be forgotten:
“Kisses are tears”: https://a.co/d/eCok2Y0

For the first time, astronauts fly over the Poles

On March 31, 2025, humanity took a historic step in its space exploration journey: for the first time, astronauts orbited the Earth’s poles. This achievement was made possible by the Fram2 mission, led by SpaceX, a company that continues to redefine the boundaries of space exploration. Aboard a spacecraft launched by the Falcon 9 rocket from Pad 39A in Florida, the "framonauts"—as they have been dubbed—marked an unprecedented milestone by flying over the polar regions, something never before accomplished by a crewed mission.
 
Who are these pioneers?
 
The Fram2 mission is named after the ship used by Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen during his Arctic expedition in the late 19th century, reflecting the spirit of exploration that drives this modern feat. While specific details about the crew have not been widely disclosed at the time of writing this article, it is known that they are astronauts selected by SpaceX for this groundbreaking mission. This team not only had to prepare for the physical and psychological challenges of spaceflight but also for the unique conditions of a polar orbit, an environment previously unexplored by humans.
 
The importance of orbiting the Poles
 
A polar orbit, unlike the more common equatorial or inclined orbits used in previous space missions, offers a unique perspective of the planet. By passing over the poles, the spacecraft provides unparalleled views of the Arctic and Antarctic, regions critical to understanding climate change and Earth’s geophysical processes. This trajectory also enables the observation of phenomena such as the northern and southern auroras from a privileged vantage point, potentially enriching our knowledge of the interaction between Earth’s magnetic field and solar particles.
 
Moreover, this mission carries significant scientific and technological implications. Polar orbits are ideal for collecting data on climate, polar ice, and the upper atmosphere—areas of study that benefit both science and humanity as a whole. From a strategic perspective, mastering this type of orbit could open new possibilities for future missions, including those targeting other planets with polar features, such as Mars.
 
Why hadn’t this been done before?
 
While polar orbits are not new—uncrewed satellites have used them for decades for tasks like mapping and meteorology—bringing astronauts into this trajectory has been a monumental challenge for several reasons:
 
Costs and Technical Complexity: Polar orbits require more energy to achieve due to their extreme inclination relative to Earth’s equator. This entails higher fuel consumption and more complex logistical planning, which has historically discouraged their use in crewed missions in favor of more cost-effective and safer options like low equatorial orbits.
 
Radiation Risks: Polar regions are more exposed to cosmic and solar radiation due to the configuration of Earth’s magnetic field, which funnels charged particles toward the poles. This poses an additional hazard for astronauts, as crewed missions must ensure the crew’s safety against elevated radiation levels.
 
Communication Limitations: Maintaining constant communication with Earth in polar orbits is more challenging than in equatorial orbits, where ground stations are better aligned with the spacecraft’s path. Before the development of technologies like SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network, this barrier was significant.
 
Historical Priorities: During the 20th-century space race, both NASA and the Soviet Union focused their efforts on goals such as reaching low Earth orbit, landing on the Moon, or establishing space stations. Polar orbits, while useful for satellites, were not considered a priority for crewed missions, which sought more visible and politically significant milestones.
SpaceX overcame these obstacles thanks to recent technological advancements. The use of the Falcon 9, a reusable rocket that reduces costs, combined with the communication infrastructure provided by Starlink, made this mission feasible. Additionally, modern radiation protection systems and meticulous planning enabled the crew to be safeguarded in this hostile environment.
 
A step toward the future
 
The Fram2 mission is not only a technical achievement but also a symbol of the resurgence of space exploration led by the private sector. By bringing humans into a polar orbit, SpaceX demonstrates that the boundaries of what is possible are constantly being redrawn. This milestone could pave the way for future expeditions, whether on Earth—with improved monitoring of the poles—or beyond, in missions requiring unconventional trajectories.
 
In a world where climate change and sustainability are pressing concerns, the ability to observe and study the poles from space with astronauts onboard offers a new tool for science and humanity. The framonauts of the Fram2 mission have not only made history but have also opened a window to a future where space and Earth are more connected than ever.

A tribute to Norway

Naming this space project “Fram” was no coincidence; it pays tribute to Norwegian explorers Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup, Oscar Wisting, and Roald Amundsen, who, between 1893 and 1912, reached the Arctic and Antarctic regions aboard the “Fram” (meaning "Forward" in Norwegian), likely the most resilient wooden ship ever built, which is still preserved and can be visited in Oslo, Norway.
 

A chance encounter will take him far away, on a thrilling adventure full of action and emotion that will change his life... but also the lives of everyone around him…
“Fleeing into silence”: https://a.co/d/7SUfVb3

If you’re a good Advertising Manager: Do it yourself!

Over the course of my 10 years as an Advertising Manager at a major agrochemical company, I demonstrated that, for any advertising client, it’s far more cost-effective to oversee all the processes involved in a campaign or advertising activity and hire each contributing agent individually, rather than entrusting everything to a single external intermediary. I also proved that working directly with freelance illustrators, photomechanical services, printers, promotional gift suppliers, direct mail advertising firms, outdoor advertising companies, recording studios, media buying agencies, and more doesn’t exclude advertising agencies—quite the contrary, I collaborated with them on numerous occasions throughout this period. Likewise, I showed that it’s more profitable for a company to have its own Advertising Department rather than relying on a single employee with no advertising expertise (a common scenario) to outsource all the work to an external firm.
 
With the substantial workload at ICI-Zeltia (now Syngenta), partnering with advertising agencies was essential, but I reserved their involvement for large-scale promotions and campaigns requiring the simultaneous use of diverse advertising elements across varied, tightly interconnected media—aligned in creativity, intensity, and duration. However, for more isolated, one-off actions tied to other products—such as producing brochures, booking a local radio and press campaign, securing billboards, or organizing a small regional giveaway—the Advertising Department took charge, directly hiring and supervising each necessary supplier.
 
Here’s my advice to Advertising Managers who’ve been leaving everything in the hands of a single external provider: try taking the reins on a standalone project. Negotiate, hire, and oversee each supplier involved in that advertising effort yourself, then compare the costs you achieve with what you were previously paying when a single provider handed you one all-inclusive invoice. As a bonus, if you truly love Advertising (with a capital “A”), you’ll relish diving in and taking ownership of those projects or elements. They’ll no longer be “something someone else did”—they’ll be “something you did yourself.”
 

A well-documented exploration of Medicine, Pharmacy, and rural society in the 19th century through two biographies that should not be forgotten:
“Kisses are tears”: https://a.co/d/eCok2Y0