Autoblog

Five people hurt in GM lab explosion, A123 battery reportedly responsible

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:58:00 EST

More details are filtering in about yesterday's explosion at the General Motors Technical Center battery research lab in Warren, Michigan.

First, the number of people injured has climbed to five, with one taken to the hospital and four treated at the scene. The local deputy fire chief said none of the injuries were life-threatening. The fire department also told the local mayor that it was fumes from hydrogen sulfide that caused the explosion, but GM declined to comment on that aspect. We learned yesterday that a battery under "extreme testing" caused the explosion.

According to The Detroit News' David Shepardson on Twitter, "Chemical gases from the battery cells were released and ignited in the enclosed chamber. The battery itself was intact" and, "All areas of the Alternative Energy Center except for the battery lab and adjacent offices will operate normally on Thursday."

Unnamed sources have told the media that it was a prototype battery pack made by A123 that caused the fire. Fox News says that pack was being tested for use in the Chevy Spark EV and other all-electric vehicles. Batteries made by A123 were recently involved in a $55 million replacement effort in the Fisker Karma.

Five people hurt in GM lab explosion, A123 battery reportedly responsible originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Volt fire to prompt new safety procedures?

Jeff Sabatini — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Safety, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

In the aftermath of a Chevrolet Volt catching fire at a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration test facility, NHTSA may move to require electric vehicle batteries to be drained after major wrecks. The Detroit Free Press reports that the agency is contemplating issuing a ruling, but a decision has yet to be made.

General Motors' position on the fire is that the battery should have been drained after NHTSA crash-tested the car, a preventative measure the automaker says it recommends.

NHTSA's inquiry involves other carmakers who use lithium-ion battery packs, not just GM. According to the report, the agency is reviewing the automaker's responses, which likely pertain to the feasibility of requiring first-responders to drain battery packs. The Detroit Free Press says GM must currently deploy a team to drain Volt batteries, though a GM spokesman says a tool to drain batteries may become available to dealerships next year.

The safety of electric vehicle batteries and the unique dangers they pose to first responders have been an ongoing concern since the first hybrids hit the market over a decade ago. The market's shift toward lithium-ion batteries and an increase in the size of battery packs have only drawn the issue into starker focus.

Chevy Volt fire to prompt new safety procedures? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Volt battery catches fire at NHTSA [UPDATE]

Sebastian Blanco — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

As a tipster put it: "Crap."

Even though there is plenty of evidence that the Chevrolet Volt is a safe car (one just protected its occupants in a recent crash with a bus), there are now new and seemingly legitimate worries about the safety of the 16-kWh battery pack after a crash. Bloomberg reports that a Volt that was parked at a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration test center recently caught fire, burning nearby vehicles. The Volt had been put through a side-impact crash test three weeks prior and an official told Bloomberg that investigators determined the battery was indeed the source of the fire. Apparently, NHTSA reps are talking with "all automakers" with lithium-ion vehicle for sale (or coming soon) about the safety of their battery packs.

On the one hand, this is bad news for people who already have worries about the safety of plug-in vehicle. On the other hand, a crashed car, whether powered by gasoline or lithium, isn't exactly a safe item. Given that this fire follows a second garage fire involving a Volt (whose cause has not yet been determined), we expect a spike of "plug-in cars are bad" news soon. Whether this is warranted or not is another question. NHTSA has issued a statement to Bloomberg that said:

Based on the available data, NHTSA does not believe the Volt or other electric vehicles are at a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles. In fact, all vehicles - both electric and gasoline-powered - have some risk of fire in the event of a serious crash.

Indeed. We'll have more on this as details are released.

UPDATE: General Motors has released an official statement, which has been added after the jump.

Continue reading Chevy Volt battery catches fire at NHTSA [UPDATE]

Chevy Volt battery catches fire at NHTSA [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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