The battery storage facility in Banská Bystrica (source: Courtesy of Fuergy)
Two recent fires in Slovakia have highlighted concerns about the safety of batteries in electric vehicles.
In late May, an electric scooter exploded in Trenčín. Nine firefighters had to be called in to extinguish the resulting blaze. Meanwhile, an incident in which an electric car caught fire in a village near Bratislava in March, prompted a similar operation involving the local fire brigade.
Although an investigation later suggested the latter was a case or arson, the former was put down to a likely operational and technical fault during its charging.
Both incidents have reignited debate over the use of batteries in electric vehicles and their safety.
A simulated fire of an electric vehicle in a confined space of a garage. (source: Courtesy of SEVA)
Experts say that while there is no truth to the myth that batteries sometimes simply spontaneously combust, fires do occur, with the common causes being internal short circuits, overcharging, overheating, manufacturing defect or mechanical damage.
