Why an Electric Car Battery Is So Expensive, For Now

Lithium-ion batteries, whether or not utilized in grid-sized storage services, automobiles or gadgets like smartphones, can catch hearth in the event that they’ve been manufactured poorly, broken in an accident, or the software program that runs them hasn’t been designed correctly. Incidents stay uncommon, however garner large scrutiny in what stays a growing sector. A choice in August by Basic Motors Co. to hold out a $1.9 billion recall of greater than 100,000 Chevrolet Bolt fashions because of EV battery defects underscored the seriousness. And the blazes aren’t straightforward to extinguish; it took firefighters 4 hours and greater than 30,000 gallons (113,560 liters) of water to douse a Tesla Mannequin S after a deadly crash in Texas. Tesla insists that incidents involving electrical fashions entice undue consideration. In keeping with its 2020 Influence Report, within the eight years prior there was about one Tesla hearth for each 205 million miles (330 million kilometers) traveled, in comparison with a hearth each 19 million miles for typical autos.