this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2023
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Teslas are bursting into flames in Florida after being flooded during Hurricane Idalia | Saltwater and lithium-ion batteries are a bad combination::undefined

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[–] leo@lemmy.linuxuserspace.show 120 points 2 years ago (4 children)

I’m all for bashing Tesla. It’s good fun. But this applies to all EVs and lithium ion batteries that came into contact with salt water.

Bad TechSpot! Bad!

I wonder if a laptop would blow up, too. Probably, right?

[–] coffeebiscuit@lemmy.world 34 points 2 years ago

Classic click baiting. If it was about laptops the title would contain ‘Apple’. Popular brands work well in titles.

[–] chakan2@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago (1 children)

This warning applies not only to electric sedans, trucks, and SUVs but also to smaller and lighter electric vehicles like golf carts, scooters, and bicycles that also have rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

It's in the article.

[–] fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.world 25 points 2 years ago

The title is still clickbait.

[–] Lemmylaugh@lemmy.ml 13 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Titles often get set by the editor. Writers often only suggest them.

[–] Jax@sh.itjust.works 6 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Seems like editors are a problem

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

They are a big problem ya.

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[–] SeducingCamel@lemm.ee 7 points 2 years ago

Yeah definitely, I remember sailing in the ocean when I was in Sea Scouts and one of our leaders had his battery let out the magic smoke on his phone, no lithium fire luckily

[–] djmarcone@lemm.ee 63 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Side note - people need to be super careful buying used cars for the next several months because of scammers cleaning up flooded cars and brining them north to sell. Check under the carpets and so on, etc. Avoid Florida cars.

[–] hawksfan24@lemmy.sdf.org 17 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Idalia brined them, not the scammers. Just to be clear.

[–] djmarcone@lemm.ee 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

right, the scam is taking a flood car north and not disclosing flood damage to an unsuspecting northerner.

It seems like it always happens every time there's a bad flood/hurricane etc.

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[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I remember that happened after a huge Mississippi flood in the 90s. Definitely be careful

[–] this_1_is_mine@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

katrina. was not that long ago and tons of those cars got drug all over.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)
[–] astropenguin5@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Probably both tbh

[–] this_1_is_mine@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago

Lol. I meant it's happened before. Katrina cars poped up all over with clean titles. And huge issues. But history like repeating since we never fixed the hole in the damn dam and there's no little dutch boy around to save everyone.

[–] schwim@reddthat.com 25 points 2 years ago (4 children)

Wouldn't this be applicable to any EV and not just a particular brand that it's popular to throw into titles for maximum views right now?

[–] Ocelot@lemmies.world 1 points 2 years ago

Tesla doesn’t advertise so any clickbait involving them is fair game.

You know who does adverise? Other competing manufacturers and boy do they have a hard-on for advertising on news sites and broadcasts. Coincidence?

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[–] rmuk@feddit.uk 24 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Didn't The Dipshit say that Teslas can be used as boats at one point?

[–] IEatAsbestos@lemmy.ml 13 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Only the cybertruck I think, but in the end neither will be able to so it doesnt matter. I work with tesla and will never even consider buying one, even apart from all the stuff muskrat is doing.

[–] Accuaro@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I figured people would have stopped considering one when it came out that Tesla employees made memes out of Tesla drivers as apparently they've been spying on people via the cameras on the car. Which isn't enough that they did that, but they were encouraged to share the memes around the office.

Idk man, and the fact people suggest tweeting (or x-ing) Elon if you run into difficulties with the Tesla stores (such as warranty). I find it insane. That's if you separate Elon from the brand Tesla, but if you don't it's all the more. He is a highly vindictive, self-centred ego fuelled bag of lies which is a personal reason I don't like Tesla.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Were the cars good before he bought the company?

[–] IEatAsbestos@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago

I dont know, but i would probably say yes. I only started working with them ~3 years ago. My big issue with them is that they seem to have no idea what they want or what theyre doing. Constantly changing plans, requirements, shipment dates, shipment locations, color specs, etc. All of their engineers ive talked to are super young, they must be new hires. But such overarching disorganization must come from the top.

[–] sdoorex@slrpnk.net 21 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

At least two Teslas caught fire

Wow, what a huge issue!

[–] HiddenLayer5@lemmy.ml 18 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Couldn't have spent the extra ten dollars potting the battery casing with conformal resin Elon?

[–] Player2@sopuli.xyz 15 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Saltwater and basically anything is a bad combination

[–] topinambour_rex@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] DreadPotato@sopuli.xyz 7 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Fact: 100% of fish that come in to contact with saltwater at any point in their lives, end up dying.

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[–] DirigibleProtein@aussie.zone 13 points 2 years ago

Oh no! anyway…

[–] LEDZeppelin@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Tesla CEO is considering lawsuit against saltwater.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

I assumed he was going to blame the Jews.

[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Seems like the NHTSA needs to expedite regulations around protecting batteries from salt water.

[–] Ocelot@lemmies.world 1 points 2 years ago

I’d be surprised if there weren’t some kind of guidelines already but once we see EVs on the road 25-30 years old held together with duct tape things might get interesting.

[–] PaulDevonUK@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (5 children)

I was under the impression that battery packs are watertight so where is the fire starting?

[–] Know_not_Scotty_does@lemmy.world 19 points 2 years ago (1 children)

They are likely IP rated in some form or fashion, that means they are rated for protection for a period of time at a certain depth. Deeper water or longer time in water means you still get water past the seals.

It could also be a control fault or short on the electrical side allowing the other components to catch fire or overloading the batteries causing them to overheat and catch fire.

[–] Player2@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Also, IP rating is not valid for salt water or any other fluids such as alcohol, only fresh water

[–] fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I doubt their designs are hurricane + flood proofed.

Also the high voltage disconnect/fuse is under the seats. Flood that and you've got a problem.

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[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

If manufactured properly, they should be.

Water ingress can happen where cables plug into places - literally like a straw that draws water towards the battery pack. Again, if properly sealed, this should not be an issue.

But I can't imagine any modern vehicle surviving being flooded by saltwater. If not the battery then any other electrical component, or even the motor, would corrode over the coming days, weeks, months.

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[–] Mudface@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

Does this have anything to worry consumers about in cold climates where cars could accumulate snow and road salt on them, and then say - park the car in the garage where it all melts into salt water?

Did any other makes of electric vehicles also burst into flames in Florida?

[–] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

You're not going to have frozen salt water on the underside of a car. That's kind of what the salt is for. You will get salt water eating at the metal.

[–] Ocelot@lemmies.world 3 points 2 years ago

Ever seen a 30 year old car from where it snows a lot? They have rust holes that eat clean through the floor. We don’t have EVs that old yet but I seriously wonder how big of a problem that might be, as the salt will eat through the battery tray at a certain point. Especially for some of the budget EVs like the Bolt.

[–] Cheers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 years ago

Does insurance cover this?

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