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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 08:15 
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Unlike old-fashioned lead acid batteries, the Chevy Volt lithium battery contains enough of a punch that it can kill you- and anyone else who is not grounded- if first responders cut the wrong wires


http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/johnransom/2012/03/21/stop_dont_cut_that_wire_thats_a_chevy_volt/page/full/

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 08:56 
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The battery industry are well aware of the potential hazards of large Lithium batteries.

Apart from the obvious one of high voltage (used to provide sufficient power and minimise losses), Lithium batteries are extremely difficult to extinguish if they catch fire. They are self-supporting for combustion and do not require atmospheric Oxygen to "burn". The only real way to put one out is to flood it with water to reduce temperature suddenly. Just spraying it is no good.

Just think, you have a huge store of energy designed to discharge very quickly. It's like a bomb. Think of a can of petrol with a rag in the neck...

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 09:20 
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How toxic is lithium??

(IE When a burning EV is extinguished, the runoff will likly end up in the local river!)

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:21 
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Well, Lithium metal is very reactive and combines with other elements to form very stable compounds which are generally not very harmful (compared, for example, to lead). It's the inorganic chemicals used as electrolytes and other materials within the cells that are a bit worrying.

The typical cells used in EVs are Lithium Phosphate technology as these are more stable and less likely to spontaneously burst into flames than the Lithium Cobalt or Managanese based batteries used in laptops etc. A typical phosphate battery uses Lithium Hexafluorophosphate as the electrolyte which, when burned in air produces Phosphorus Pentoxide. This is a dense white vapour used in the First World War for smokescreens. You can also get Hydrogen Fluoride gas produced which dissolves in the water in the lining of your lungs to produce Hydrofluoric Acid.

Not too good.

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