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Gasoline is relatively harmless unless you light it up. Batteries contain acid and can combust spontaneously.

by tomp 8y ago

AnthonyMouse 8y ago
Gasoline is a flammable liquid carcinogen that evaporates into a highly explosive vapor with an ignition temperature lower than the operating temperature of many exhaust system components. Lithium batteries typically don't contain acid.
- xondono 8y ago
  They only contain Lithium composites, that are highly reactive with oxigen (i.e. they combust spontaneously) and are fairly toxic. If your modified gas engine seems to work, you are quite safe. If your modified Tesla seems to work, it might well explode the next second..
  - perl4ever 8y ago
    "If your modified gas engine seems to work, you are quite safe" I think you are overstating your case. I have seen cars on fire by the side of the road...although it is possible it started with an electrical fault. I believe that it's not that rare for a model of car I own to have a leak develop in the fuel lines and drip fuel onto a hot manifold and start a fire.
  - userbinator 8y ago
    They only contain Lithium composites, that are highly reactive with oxigen (i.e. they combust spontaneously) You're making the classic mistake of assuming lithium-ion batteries contain metallic lithium --- it's called lithium-ion for a reason. Primary lithium cells, which are basically never used for EVs, do contain metallic lithium; but lion cells contain lithium salts and a dissolved solution of lithium ions in the electrolyte. The electrolyte is a flammable organic solvent, but not more so than petrol. Lion batteries catch fire because the massive energy they store is released when damaged, and that ignites the electrolyte.
- rootusrootus 8y ago
  When you put out a gas fire, it's done. Try that with a lithium battery fire.
  - AnthonyMouse 8y ago
    When you put out a gas fire, there is still gasoline everywhere, spreading and evaporating until it reaches another heat source above its relatively low ignition temperature, which frequently exist in the vicinity as a result of the recent collision and fire. This can also cause the fire to spread, since the gasoline can flow into a wider area before it reignites. And if enough of the gasoline has evaporated, the reignition can take the form of an explosion. Battery fires can be hard to put out, but it's a solid component designed to keep the fire from spreading outside of it. If gasoline reignites you better hope you didn't get any on you.

Gasoline is relatively harmless unless you light it up. Batteries contain acid and can combust spontaneously.

by tomp 8y ago

Gasoline is relatively harmless unless you light it up. Batteries contain acid and can combust spontaneously.

Gasoline is a flammable liquid carcinogen that evaporates into a highly explosive vapor with an ignition temperature lower than the operating temperature of many exhaust system components. Lithium batteries typically don't contain acid.

xondono 8y ago
They only contain Lithium composites, that are highly reactive with oxigen (i.e. they combust spontaneously) and are fairly toxic. If your modified gas engine seems to work, you are quite safe. If your modified Tesla seems to work, it might well explode the next second..
- perl4ever 8y ago
  "If your modified gas engine seems to work, you are quite safe" I think you are overstating your case. I have seen cars on fire by the side of the road...although it is possible it started with an electrical fault. I believe that it's not that rare for a model of car I own to have a leak develop in the fuel lines and drip fuel onto a hot manifold and start a fire.
- userbinator 8y ago
  They only contain Lithium composites, that are highly reactive with oxigen (i.e. they combust spontaneously) You're making the classic mistake of assuming lithium-ion batteries contain metallic lithium --- it's called lithium-ion for a reason. Primary lithium cells, which are basically never used for EVs, do contain metallic lithium; but lion cells contain lithium salts and a dissolved solution of lithium ions in the electrolyte. The electrolyte is a flammable organic solvent, but not more so than petrol. Lion batteries catch fire because the massive energy they store is released when damaged, and that ignites the electrolyte.
rootusrootus 8y ago
When you put out a gas fire, it's done. Try that with a lithium battery fire.
- AnthonyMouse 8y ago
  When you put out a gas fire, there is still gasoline everywhere, spreading and evaporating until it reaches another heat source above its relatively low ignition temperature, which frequently exist in the vicinity as a result of the recent collision and fire. This can also cause the fire to spread, since the gasoline can flow into a wider area before it reignites. And if enough of the gasoline has evaporated, the reignition can take the form of an explosion. Battery fires can be hard to put out, but it's a solid component designed to keep the fire from spreading outside of it. If gasoline reignites you better hope you didn't get any on you.