Talking about this burning issue:
“If lithium-ion batteries weren’t powering vehicles that are supposed to save the planet from climate change, they would not be in such widespread use. Perhaps we can find another power source to save the planet that isn’t so hard to put out if it burns, doesn’t let off toxic gases when it’s on fire, and can be manufactured in the United States.”
I think he’s talking about the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine… and not something powered by faerie-dust and unicorn flatulence.
we need more petroleum, natural gas, coal and nuclear power production facilities. Petroleum for cars, trucks and equipment is far more reliable and consistent than solar, wind and battery powered. Keep trying but pay for your own research. No taxpayer money should finance this stuff
Lithium-ion batteries are not the “power source” that powers electric vehicles any more than it’s the gas tank that powers your ICE car. The power source is the coal or oil that generated the electricity that is stored in the batteries.
In the 125 year history of the automobile there have been 2 other sources of power used. Steam and Direct Solar ( converted directly into Electricity ) and something needed to be burned to make the heat to create the steam. Typically early steam vehicles used kerosene but wood and coal also worked. Direct Solar never produced enough power to be more than a novelty. So, until someone comes up with a small enough Nuke Plant to generate the heat to make the steam (along with the AI to run the whole plant ) it seems we are stuck with fossil fuels.
BTW hydrogen is not an energy source either, just a transfer medium like batteries.
“BTW hydrogen is not an energy source either, just a transfer medium like batteries.”
With lots of energy conversion losses to make it, hard to contain, and explosive.
Lion batts also make great riot fodder.
If they are so hard to put out once they ignite, how do firemen put out that sort of fire? I knew some people who set fire to the brush on an empty lot with highway flares, and when the FD came, pointed to the flare caps and the FD crew said, “We gotta let it burn”, and just watched to see that it didn’t spread.
I think they spray foam on lithium ion battery fires to cut off the oxygen. The problem is that it takes a lot of foam to accomplish that and not all fire departments have foam trucks because they are very expensive.
Energy density of gasoline: 20,500 BTU per pound, of lithium-Ion batteries: 500-700 BTU per pound.
Says it all for me.
How much of an EVs energy is wasted dragging the battery around?