In the early morning in Turkey, a trailer carrying multiple Tesla Model Ys caught fire, starting in one vehicle and spreading to all during transportation out of Istanbul. The cause is under investigation, but witnesses reported an initial explosion in the rearmost car. A video showed the charred remains and firefighters struggling to contain the flames, highlighting the challenge posed by thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries.
Firefighters took about an hour to extinguish the blaze, leaving the vehicles unusable. Various solutions are being considered to prevent thermal runaway, including submerging damaged EVs in water tanks and innovative approaches like puncturing battery packs and injecting water.
This incident underscores the ongoing struggle to mitigate fire risks in electric vehicles, though statistics indicate gas cars and hybrids are more fire-prone than EVs. In 2020, EVs had a lower incidence of fires per 100,000 vehicles sold compared to hybrids and internal combustion engine cars, according to US government data. However, finding effective solutions to ensure EV safety remains a priority.
