[LINK] Electric car disposal

[Stephen Loosley]

Maybe we aught legislate electric car companies include safe product end-of-life warranty arrangements

Battery in fatal Florida Tesla crash reignited twice: NTSB report

By David Shepardson June 27, 2018 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-fire/battery-in-fatal-florida-tesla-crash-reignited-twice-ntsb-report-idUSKBN1JM2UG


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Tesla Inc Model S involved in a May 8 fatal high-speed crash in Florida reignited twice after firefighters extinguished a fire in the electric vehicle, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a preliminary report on Tuesday.

The report said the vehicle was traveling 116 miles (187 km) per hour seconds before it crashed into a metal light pole. The Fort Lauderdale Fire Department found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames and extinguished the vehicle fire using 200–300 gallons (around 750-1,100 liters) of water and foam, the NTSB said.

The report said during removal of the car from the scene, the battery reignited and was quickly extinguished. “Upon arrival at the storage yard, the battery reignited again,” the report said, and was again quickly put out.

Tesla declined to comment on the report, but has said its vehicles are much less likely to catch fire than gasoline-powered vehicles.

There have been other reported cases of crashed Tesla battery packs reigniting, including after a fatal Tesla crash in March in California.

In the California crash, the battery reignited five days after the crash in an impound lot and was extinguished by the Fire Department.

NTSB said its investigation into the Florida crash that killed two teenagers in the vehicle “will also include examining the procedures used to extinguish the battery fire and to remove and store the car postcrash.”