Fire officials in Florida sent a warning on Monday, Oct. 7, that electric vehicles (EVs) could be “ticking time bombs” in the wake of Hurricane Milton, which made landfall on Wednesday, Oct. 9. The problem stems from saltwater brought in with the storm surges, and while the issue is rare, the risk is real.
Saltwater is reportedly more corrosive than fresh water and can eat away at the batteries. That causes cells to short-circuit, generate heat and potentially burst into flames.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, officials said that 11 of the lithium-ion battery fires seen after that storm involved EVs.
Fire officials continued to urge anyone with any products that run on lithium-ion batteries to move them away from structures and make sure they’re unplugged.
If people are not able to get their cars out of the danger zone in time, experts cautioned anyone against trying to drive an EV afterwards, noting that fires can start days or weeks after flooding.
Instead, industry experts advised individuals to get in touch with their car’s manufacturer and let them know that the vehicle has been submerged in saltwater.
Firefighters also said that if a person’s car is in the storm surge zone, and they do not plan to travel, to keep the battery at 30% or less. Firefighters noted that batteries with less of a charge are less likely to start a fire.
