FIRE!

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a formal safety investigation into fire dangers of the Volt. This move came after the agency replicated an incident from last May in which a Volt battery caught fire three weeks after going through a safety crash test. In three tests last week, technicians damaged the Volt batteries in a similar way; one battery caught fire, and two showed signs of overheating. NHTSA said it had no reports of fires from real-world crashes. And the agency said in a statement: "NHTSA continues to believe that electric vehicles have incredible potential to save consumers money at the pump, help protect the environment, create jobs and strengthen national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil." General Motors said in a statement it was working with NHTSA on additional testing and also was monitoring all the Volts on the road. With its OnStar emergency communications system, the company said it "knows in real time about any crash significant enough to potentially compromise battery integrity."
NHTSA offered some advice for current owners of electric cars involved in accidents. Exit the vehicle carefully if possible just as in a gasoline-powered car, which of course also poses fire danger in a crash. Emergency responders should take note if a vehicle is electric and disconnect the battery pack if possible. Tow-truck operators and salvage yards should store damaged electrics outside, not inside a closed building. All fires in the NHTSA tests ignited weeks after the initial damage.