Chevy Volt - an American success story.

[Forest Grump]

The fact that a fire started at all irregardless of time frame demonstrates a major problem with the battery design brought on by a crash. BTW lithium ion batteries in computers and cell phones have also started on fire and they were not involved in a crash. Many design issues take time to develop.

I am not against lithium batteries as I have had one implanted in my chest and controlling my heart 85% of the time for the last 7 years. They just need to be designed well for their specific purpose and I am very happy GM did not make my pacemaker.

[jspande]

Originally Posted by Forest Grump

The fact that a fire started at all irregardless of time frame demonstrates a major problem with the battery design brought on by a crash. BTW lithium ion batteries in computers and cell phones have also started on fire and they were not involved in a crash. Many design issues take time to develop.

I am not against lithium batteries as I have had one implanted in my chest and controlling my heart 85% of the time for the last 7 years. They just need to be designed well for their specific purpose and I am very happy GM did not make my pacemaker.

Then gas tanks surely have a much greater "major problem with ... design brought on by a crash"!

And the Lithium ion batteries in computers and cell phone are lithium cobalt and are not used or suitable for higher voltage (multiple cell stacked in series). They have higher energy density which is a premium in small cell phone.

Auto batteries never use the cobalt chemistry - the Lithium Iron Phosphate is used specifically for safety.

[Forest Grump]

If you say so!

[Ray,IN]

Apparently the risk of a battery fire is not limited to the Chevrolet Volt. Fisker Automotive recalls $100,000 2012 Karma electric car. The battery cooling system is the problem.

[RVNeophytes2]

Originally Posted by jspande

Auto batteries never use the cobalt chemistry - the Lithium Iron Phosphate is used specifically for safety.

Give it up, logical thinkers: you are up against an insurmountable force

If those batteries were comprised of sponges soaked in KoolAid, some folks would be trying to dismiss the Volt as a drowning risk in the event of an accident.

I personally love the New Millenium for its entertainment value

[Cherry.]

I don't own one but I remembered seeing the thread about them here. CNN is reporting a major recall on the Volt.

[jspande]

Originally Posted by Cherry.

I don't own one but I remembered seeing the thread about them here. CNN is reporting a major recall on the Volt.

"Major Recall" may be a bit misleading. This is not a normal recall in the sense that it has not been mandated by the government and only involves around 7500 cars that have been sold plus those on dealers lots.

It's simply extra metal shielding that is bolted on to the battery containment and a redesigned cap for the battery coolant reservoir. The article points out that producing a fire (after a week or more) requires both of two things to happen in a crash - deep penetration of the battery assembly and coolant leaking onto the circuit boards (requires rollover). Not to mention that the batteries must have a charge throughout that week or more following the crash (it's specified that battery packs are to be discharged after a major crash, which eliminates any danger).

Also from this article:
"The Volt has gotten high crash test scores from NHTSA as well as from the privately funded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. No post-crash fires have been reported in real-world situations, according to NHTSA."

[rvjimmy]

Sounds like a real safe energy saver having to have a total recall of all that where made. Think I'll stay with my 30 Plus mpg Saturn and not have to plug it in or buy a high dollar battery down the road. I might not be saving all the world but probably not polluting as much as all those batteries when they have to be disposed of. JMO

[Ray,IN]

jspande, according to the link in my post #354, and the Volt explanation, it only requires a coolant leak to increase risk of fire. Neither article mentions a roll-over. The test crashes did not induce a roll-over, simply a direct hit in the side of the vehicle, which is where Chevrolet is placing the structural reinforcement to further protect the battery from being ruptured.
I am confident engineers will get the bugs worked out of electric vehicles, heck we sent an electric vehicle to the moon, and it worked fine. None of us can afford one though.

[edj]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

I am confident engineers will get the bugs worked out of electric vehicles, heck we sent an electric vehicle to the moon, and it worked fine. None of us can afford one though.

If you wanted it, you could afford it. A RV and associated expenses likely costs a lot more and is used a lot less than an electric vehicle. You and a lot of other people can afford an RV....

[motojavaphil]

I was watching the News the other day. Economists are predicting fuel prices to dramatically rise. Just about the same time Iran began sabre rattling and fuel prices started up. Personally I welcome this new technology and want to see more of it. Getting a 40' motorhome that can deliver 35-40 mpg does not break my heart and a car or truck that can squeeze out 90 mpg is just gravy. If indeed there is a problem with the batteries it is a glitch and not something that will defeat the design. In 1969 I went to see a guy named R. Buckminister Fuller. At the end of his presentation he said there would be a computer in every home. We walked out of there having agreed with everything he said except the computer part. As many of you recall computers in those days took up entire rooms, needed controlled environments, and really only existed with IBM and Star Trek with Mr Spock. Here we are, sitting in a sub 400 sqft dwelling on wheels communicating via computer and making calls off our Dick Tracy phones. Fuller also made a car that got 60 mpg and was capable of 120 mph in 1933. GM has designed a vehicle superior to current offerings from Japan, Germany and all other manufacturers! Embrace it as the tides of change will wash over us leaving a bunch of "grumpy old men"!

[jspande]

RVJimmy, these batteries are recycled, never disposed of (the materials are much too valuable).

Ray, the CNN article that was referenced was very explicit about both penetration and rollover being required (rollover required to get the coolant onto the circuit boards apparently).

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by jspande

RVJimmy, these batteries are recycled, never disposed of (the materials are much too valuable).

Ray, the CNN article that was referenced was very explicit about both penetration and rollover being required (rollover required to get the coolant onto the circuit boards apparently).

This is the only portion of the CNN article that mentions "rotating"

"The fires, which happened one to three weeks after the crash tests, were sparked after the cars had been slowly rotated as part of a post-test procedure causing the coolant to come into contact with circuit boards. The batteries were still charged at the time".

Apparently they car was slowly rotated weeks after the crash, for testing purposes
Post a link to a "rollover" causing the fire.

[Larry & Rita]

And today they recalled the Volt because it may catch on fire