If you want further proof that maybe an EV is not the car for you then watch the video.
The somewhat comic event occurred as a couple tried to launch their boat at the Polk Street Boat ramp Florida. The car lost traction and slide into the water where, even though the car has submarine safety mode it caught fire as thermal runaway occurred and burnt for an extended period.
It is thought that the conductive water caused a short circuit and a fire ensued.as the battery pack entered what is known as thermal runaway, ie a fire that effectively feeds itself. In this case the fire was completely submerged in water which of course begs the question; just how do you extinguish a Li-ion battery fire?
The car that burnt was a Tesla, but this is not just a problem with that particular brand. All Li-ion batteries have the capacity to enter thermal runaway if they are damaged or submerged. This is making all firefighting agencies round the world rethink how they should handle electric vehicle emergencies.
