EV Batteries Causing Safety Concerns

About two decades ago, the concept of an electric vehicle (EV) was little more than science fiction. Roughly a decade ago, electric vehicles seemed more like an expensive showpiece for millionaires than a useful vehicle. The number of EVs has greatly increased in the last three years to the point where they’re almost commonplace.

While this progress may be great for the ever-decreasing oil reserves of the world, it doesn’t come without problems. EV battery technology has been challenging to develop, and more powerful batteries have produced safety concerns that affect many EV owners. EV technology may be the future, but for now, current owners should be aware of the dangers that may be present in owning an electric vehicle.

Dangers Associated with EV Batteries

Why You Can’t Afford to Ignore These Safety Concerns

All batteries are inherently dangerous if not handled properly. The larger the battery, the more dangerous it typically is. EV batteries are significantly larger than traditional car batteries. This means you should take any problems with an EV battery seriously.

Electrocution

Anyone who has ever foolishly licked a battery or touched a battery with damp fingers knows that a battery can shock. That shock increases with the size of the battery until it can cause severe electrical burn injuries.

Energized components of an EV battery are a danger to anyone who comes into contact with them, including owners performing basic maintenance and technicians performing more intensive repairs. This danger increases even more if the electrical system is leaking energy. When that happens, the ionization of the air around the system can result in something known as an arc flash. That is when the battery or other parts of the electrical system electrocutes someone nearby who isn’t in contact with the car.

Thermal Runaway

Reports of battery issues causing fires have become more frequent in recent years. While some of these reports are exaggerated, they reflect a real problem that shouldn’t be ignored. Any battery can potentially overheat when subjected to adverse conditions, and when it overheats, it can cause a fire. For this reason, batteries shouldn’t be left in pressurized locations, especially ones that are likely to get hot.

Garages are designed to keep your car warm and protected from the elements. They are usually moderately compact, and some are heated. This can make thermal runaway more likely.

Thermal runaway occurs when the heat in a battery continues to increase beyond safe levels, causing an uncontrolled chemical reaction. In some cases, the battery will catch on fire or explode. However, it doesn’t need to catastrophically fail like that to present a danger. Just by being hot enough, it might cause nearby flammable chemicals or objects to catch on fire. Once that happens, the entire car is likely to be consumed, as might any other flammable objects located in the garage.

What can you do if an EV battery injures you or one of your loved ones? Call 888-407-2955 to speak with a California personal injury lawyer at Neale & Fhima APC and schedule a consultation to learn about your legal options.

How to Determine if Your EV Battery Is Unsafe

The average owner of a combustion engine car has only a passing knowledge of how their vehicle works and whether it is safe, despite the fact that this type of vehicle has been around for more than a century. It isn’t surprising that EV owners are typically even less familiar with their cars, which are using brand-new technology.

If you are trying to determine whether your EV battery is safe, the best way to figure that out is to trust the professionals. You don’t want to get into a car accident because your EV battery catches on fire while driving on a freeway. But which professionals can you trust? That is the tricky part.

EV companies can be notoriously deceptive about the safety of their vehicles. This means you may be unable to trust your vehicle’s manufacturer. Instead, look to see whether a recall has been issued for your vehicle’s battery. For example, the NHTSA issued a recall of all Chevy Bolt EV batteries in models released between 2017 and 2019.

What You Can Do if Your EV Battery Is Unsafe

Simple Ways to Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones

If you learn from a recall order that your battery is unsafe, you should follow the correction instructions in the recall order immediately. When a recall is ordered, the dealership or manufacturer is required by law to correct the problem at no cost to you. Typically, this will involve replacing the battery. Newer batteries are almost always safer than older batteries.

What if you think your EV battery is unsafe, but it hasn’t been recalled? This situation is a lot more complicated. EV batteries are extremely expensive, potentially costing tens of thousands of dollars. That may be significantly more than you are willing or able to spend to replace an unsafe battery. Even worse, your warranty may not apply if the manufacturer refuses to acknowledge that the unsafe battery is due to a manufacturing issue.

In this situation, you should contact an experienced lemon law lawyer in California. State laws protect you from inferior or defective products. It is better to speak to an attorney and find out how to protect yourself from a dangerous EV battery than to file a personal injury claim after the fact.

Contact Neal & Fhima APC Today to Discuss EV Battery Safety Concerns

If you think the battery in your electric vehicle represents a danger to you or your loved ones, don’t wait to contact a lawyer. EV battery issues can cause serious injuries when left uncorrected. The attorneys at our law firm have experience dealing with these issues and may be able to help you get compensation for a defective battery.

Whether you think your EV battery is dangerous or it has already harmed someone, the experienced California lawyers at Neale & Fhima PAC may be able to help. Contact us at 888-407-2955 to schedule an initial evaluation of your case.