Gee, Ya Think?

It appears that the juxtaposition of electrically conductive seawater flooding and lithium ion car batteries are a fire threat.

Well knock me over with a Model 552AC Zamboni.

Lithium ion battery technolity is highly energetic and it is rather likely to short circuit itself under conditions where charging and discharging are not controlled, like being flooded with salt water:

Flooding from hurricanes Helene and Milton inflicted billions of dollars in damage across the Southeast in September and October 2024, pushing buildings off their foundations and undercutting roads and bridges. It also caused dozens of electric vehicles and other battery-powered objects, such as scooters and golf carts, to catch fire.

According to one tally, 11 electric cars and 48 lithium-ion batteries caught fire after exposure to salty floodwater from Helene. In some cases, these fires spread to homes.

When a lithium-ion battery pack bursts into flames, it releases toxic fumes, burns violently and is extremely hard to put out. Frequently, firefighters’ only option is to let it burn out by itself.

Particularly when these batteries are soaked in saltwater, they can become “ticking time bombs,” in the words of Florida State Fire Marshall Jimmy Patronis. That’s because the fire doesn’t always occur immediately when the battery is flooded. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 36 EVs flooded by Hurricane Ian in Florida in 2022 caught fire, including several that were being towed after the storm on flatbed trailers.

This is precisely the area where government regulation would be a good idea.

Cars bursting into flame post hurricane is not a good thing.

These regulations could cover things water tightness of the cells, resistance to corrosion, and possibly automatic controlled discharge devices.

Of course, this won't happen, because it would be socialism.