Since childhood, we have been taught that an electrical fire must be fought with anything but water. However, as there are more electric cars and reports of fires appearing, we have seen that the choice of firefighters to fight it is really… water. Look at the example of this BMW i8.
The case in point took place in the Netherlands when a BMW i8, a plug-in hybrid, started smoking in a booth threatening to catch fire. When they arrived at the scene, due to the many chemical (and extremely flammable) elements that make up the battery, the firefighters decided that to put out the fire it was necessary to resort to “creative” measures.
The solution found was to immerse the BMW i8 in a container filled with water for 24 hours. This was done so that the battery and its various components cool down, thus avoiding possible re-ignitions that are starting to be typical in electric vehicles.
How to put out a fire in an tram? Tesla explains
It may seem crazy to try to put out an electrical fire with water, especially considering that this is a great conductor of electricity. However, it seems that this procedure is the correct one, and even Tesla has drawn up a manual indicating water as the best way to fight a fire that affects the high voltage battery.
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According to the American brand: “If the battery catches fire, is exposed to high temperatures or is producing heat or gases, cool it using large amounts of water”. According to Tesla, completely extinguishing the fire and cooling the battery may require the use of up to 3000 gallons of water (about 11 356 liters!).
Tesla is such an advocate of using water to fight a possible fire in its models that it states that the use of other means should only be used until water is available. The brand also warns that the complete extinction of a fire can take up to 24 hours, advising that the car be left “in quarantine”.
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