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None of those exploded. If you claim exploded, prove it! Energy density is still useful for hybrids, especially PHEV. Earlier Prii use a very small lead-acid a
by coryrc 12y ago
None of those exploded. If you claim exploded, prove it!
Energy density is still useful for hybrids, especially PHEV. Earlier Prii use a very small lead-acid as 12V battery, but have a very large and heavy NiMH as the main pack. Doubling that weight is not a useful thing.
Telsa battery costs $20k because it goes >200 miles. What cost and weight would these batteries have in that same circumstance? (oh, it doesn't matter because they're only useful for hybrids, so why bring up Tesla?)
- nicholas73 12y ago"More Than A Dozen Fisker Karma Hybrids Caught Fire And Exploded In New Jersey Port After Sandy" If those photos don't count as an explosion to you, I don't know what does.
- mikeash 12y agoLooks like fires to me, not explosions. I honestly do not see what you think is so obviously an "explosion" in those pictures.
- scott_karana 12y agoWhat could possibly start aflame in an electric car, but the batteries? (I'm aware that other parts would be flammable.)
- mikeash 12y agoIt seems clear that the batteries caught fire. The question is whether they exploded.
- emn13 12y agoThough there's certainly a difference, I'm not sure it's all that important here. A fire followed by a mild explosion isn't necessarily that much more dangerous or harmful than a fast fire. You don't really want either.
- lttlrck 12y agoAny part of the electrical system could catch fire due to a fault. Edit: not any part, but electrical systems do start fires.
- mikeash 12y agoMost Priuses still use NiMH (all except the plugin one). In mine, it's around 120lbs, out of about 3200lbs total vehicle weight. Doubling the weight of the battery wouldn't make that much of a difference. Plugin hybrids and pure electrics need much larger batteries, so it certainly matters there, but for plain hybrids it's not such a big deal.