Two Perspectives on Electric Vehicles (EVs)

To anyone considering purchasing an electric vehicle, I urge you to reconsider.

These vehicles are incredibly dangerous on our streets and highways and can be deadly to drivers and passengers. They are not as eco-friendly as the marketing would have you believe.

This month local firefighters had the opportunity to learn about the dangers of electric vehicles and the impact they have, taught by a national company, presented to towing companies and emergency responders. EVERY firefighter needs this class and government officials should become aware of the dangers.

The ion batteries are so incredibly dangerous that it should not be a consideration to own one. When pierced, they emit harmful, invisible gasses that are fatal. The vehicles are designed to trap the driver inside. Emergency responders need special equipment and know special procedures to get vehicles open. They cannot do it quickly or the vehicle will explode. If they make a mistake the vehicle will explode. They cannot approach these vehicles without being in SCBAs. In a severe collision, a person’s life may not be saved because an emergency responder cannot open the vehicle. These batteries have caused house fires, explosions, and deaths.

Semi-trucks are now in the process of being built with them. These vehicles can take days to explode and are being quarantined until the vehicle is safe. On scene, responders cannot touch the vehicle for over an hour if there is a chance that the battery has been compromised. It cannot be loaded onto a tow truck for several hours because the vehicle can explode. They burn at over 3,000 degrees when they explode and it can take up to 7 hours for them to burn down. You cannot put water on the fire because the water will cause chemicals in the vehicle to turn into hydrochloric acid with other chemical reactions, both inside and outside, making it dangerous for anyone inside as well as responders outside. In one instance, a woman ran over something on the road, and hours later her vehicle exploded at home. She was trapped inside and nearly suffocated from the chemicals on the road. Traps prevent the vehicles from opening from the outside, so with an unconscious driver or passenger that cannot happen.

If responders do not report the incident, the liability goes back onto the department. These dangers mean that our responders will likely have to watch someone trapped in a vehicle and not be able to get them out. They could die in that vehicle and there’s nothing they can do about it. These departments will likely be sued by the families because they didn’t do their job.

Can you imagine the impact that will have on those responders?

Purchasing these vehicles also means more charging stations. This increases the problem as more vehicles are welcomed into our communities. Please do not put our first responders, yourselves, and our residents in danger. We are all on the roads together and no matter how safe we may be, there can still be accidents.

Sincerely,

Carey Burnside

Boulder, MT

___________________________________

The first EV was produced in 1890-91 by William Morris, of Iowa. Since then, the idea of an electric vehicle has been on the table as an alternative to the internal combustion engine. We’ve come a long way through those 130+ years; advances in battery technology have made EVs a reliable, cheaper, and more eco-friendly mode of transportation. Here are just a few pieces of info on EVs.

EVs are far from perfect, in the grand scheme of its evolution; EVs are in their teenage years, more than capable of being a reliable mode of transportation but still have room to mature. When it comes to battery technology, most EVs still use lithium-ion-based battery chemistry, which is found in most battery-powered products, such as cell phones. The higher adoption of fully electric vehicles is providing new and unique challenges for firefighters and first responders; I do believe it is important for training on how to deal with these unique situations to be readily available to help protect our first responders. With the higher adoption of EVs in the market and more automobile manufacturers moving towards EVs, advancements in safety will improve over time.

In general, motor vehicle fires are rare. A 2020 report filed by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) reported an estimated 212,500 vehicle fires in 2018. There were 111,242,132 vehicles on the road in 2018, according to the Office of Highway Policy, in which EVs made up a very small percentage of this total. This means 0.19% of vehicles on the road in 2018 caught fire, most being caused by electrical or mechanical failure in older vehicles, according to the NFPA.

There is also a misconception that the cars trap you inside if there is no power; as a Tesla owner, I can attest that this is not the case. In Tesla vehicles, a mechanical door knob to open the vehicle in case of emergency is available. Most people who aren’t familiar with Teslas use this mechanism accidentally instead of the electronic door opener.

There are also safety mechanisms in Teslas available; in the case of an accident, the vehicle actually cuts the battery power off in high-velocity impacts. Emergency workers should be made aware during training on EVs, there is actually a spot under the hood labeled for fire fighters to cut. This will disconnect the high voltage battery in the car for their protection.

The upside of EVs: On a whole, the upfront cost of an EV is on average higher than a traditional vehicle; however EVs have fewer maintenance problems due to the fact they have fewer moving parts. Hence, there are fewer points of failure in the vehicle. They require no oil changes and are recommended a new air filter every two years, and new tires as needed.

The most convenient perk of owning an EV is the ability to charge at home. Think about it this way - wouldn’t it be great if you could leave your car in the garage and overnight the gas tank filled up on its own, without you having to go to the gas station? EVs work this way - you charge at home. Over the years the cost of electricity is one of the most stable energy costs we have. According to the US Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, adjusted for inflation, in 2011 the average cost per kWh in the US was $0.148; in 2021 it lowered to $0.141. Compare this to the ebbs and flows price of a gallon of gas and it shows how less volatile electricity costs are compared to gas costs. A quick example: in a Tesla LR Model 3 the 55-mile roundtrip from Whitehall to Butte cost $1.36 in electricity. In a gas vehicle, the same trip at the $3.88 price per gallon would be $7.11.

To round all this up, I understand change is scary and difficult, it always has been and always will be. The future of automotive transportation is heading towards electric; I do believe in the next few decades most homes will have at least one EV for everyday commutes.

I also acknowledge EVs aren’t for everyone; I respect that and don’t think the vehicle we drive should be a point of contention between people. We live in a great state, with great people and we have much better things to do with our time than be upset by what someone is driving. I wish everyone safe travels and I’ll see ya’ll on the road.

Colton Anderson

Whitehall, Montana