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.
 

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