A Thought on Electric Vehicles

[redhawker]

Maybe this has been discussed somewhere but I haven't seen it. I was wondering if there might be some firefighters here that could answer this. When the Fire Department responds to a serious crash they occasionally have to cut and pry injured people out of the vehicles with saws, prying tools, and the Jaws of Life. In the process, they obviously "disassemble" the vehicle as quickly and efficiently as possible to get the victims the treatment they need ASAP. What happens if they happen to cut through electrical lines going from the battery to the motor(s) on these cars? I understand that the cars are using something like 375 volts so I'm pretty sure that cutting through these cables might not be a good thing for the firefighters and/or the people they're trying to rescue. Do firefighters receive training on where to cut into an electric car to avoid this type of hazard? Is there something like a master switch that they can turn off when they first get on scene to kill any juice coming from the battery? Has anyone ever heard of a firefighter getting injured or killed cutting into an electric car? Can the entire metal surface of the vehicle be electrified just due to the damage from a serious crash? Anyway, just something I happen to think about regarding some of the unconsidered (at least if you go by what I've NOT heard in the media) hazards of these electric vehicles.

 

[eveled]

I’m pretty sure they are trained specifically on those vehicles.

My son likes Chicago Fire on TV. In one episode they were responding to a crash and the tv drama came from the fact that the electric badging had been removed from the car. Causing extreme danger to those about yo cut it open.

Great questions. I hope someone with real world experience chimes in.

 

[HarryD2]

Was a volunteer firefighter in my rural community for over 20 years. I loved it but got too old to do the job about 12 years ago and even then we had some training on electrical vehicles and I’m sure there is a lot more now. Here is some basic info on basic ev firefighting and extrication. https://www.firerescue1.com/electri...tack-and-extrication-basics-PwPBmx8uuMuMOR2G/

 

[eveled]

@HarryD2 welcome to the forum. Thanks for your service as a volunteer fire fighter.

 

[Fox Mike]

This from Chris, my professional firefighter grandson.
"There are some "no cut" zones where the high energy wires run. There are some disconnects in the car that we can pull. We have had a few training videos sent to us but have not had any good hands on training. One of the problems is each manufacturer and model are very different from each other."

 

[redhawker]

Was a volunteer firefighter in my rural community for over 20 years. I loved it but got too old to do the job about 12 years ago and even then we had some training on electrical vehicles and I’m sure there is a lot more now. Here is some basic info on basic ev firefighting and extrication. https://www.firerescue1.com/electri...tack-and-extrication-basics-PwPBmx8uuMuMOR2G/

Good info here, thanks!

 

[blume357]

In the instruction manual of my wife's Ford hybrid it does say that if the car is towed after a wreck it must be left a minimum of 50 feet (I think that is the distance) from any building.... Kind of makes you think when ever you get in the thing and push the button to start it.

 

[LDM]

Electric cars are purchased by virtue-signalling wealthy liberal dilettantes. These leftist hypocrites drive Teslas to get to their private. jets. All the issues that killed electric cars at the start of the 20th century are still problems today. High cost, excessive weight, limited range, long recharging times and the high cost of electricity to recharge them. What really rankles me is that I'm subsidizing these vehicles through the tax credits given to the buyers. If they're supposed to be so good why do they need taxpayer support for the rich kids that want these toys.

 

[mr surveyor]

why is it never mentioned in any of these electric vehicle articles, including even those that are critical of the current offerings, that the (extremely expensive and hazardous) batteries are a part of the fuel itself. It doesn't matter if the "electricity" is generated from a windmill or from a diesel powered ICE, that electricity is temporarily contained in that battery ... and it's components are being used up in the transfer of that "stored" electricity. I don't think users of these things have factored in the cost of the every 5 or so year battery replacement with the (supposedly cheap) cost of the very frequent battery charges.

jd

 

[blammer]

In the 'save the planet' panic, I've not heard of anyone who has a definite plan with numbers on how much this is going to cost in money or environmental damage. It's just 'ready, fire, aim'.

FWIW: I like the idea of green stuff. Electric generation by solar and wind has definite advantages including free fuel and fairly easy deployment of generating mechanisms in diverse locations. On the other side are the costs and limitations involved. We can figure this out and technologies will advance to get by very real current limitations. But don't just set arbitrary dates and standards without a real life workable plan.

 

[RRM]

Our local news just did a special segment on putting out EV fires and the difficulty associated with that.

 

[Enigma]

A pox upon EVs!

 

[Colonialgirl]

In the 'save the planet' panic, I've not heard of anyone who has a definite plan with numbers on how much this is going to cost in money or environmental damage. It's just 'ready, fire, aim'.

FWIW: I like the idea of green stuff. Electric generation by solar and wind has definite advantages including free fuel and fairly easy deployment of generating mechanisms in diverse locations. On the other side are the costs and limitations involved. We can figure this out and technologies will advance to get by very real current limitations. But don't just set arbitrary dates and standards without a real life workable plan.

Personally, I thought and still think that NUCLEAR power makes more sense than wind or solar which is environmentally polluting and kills grass under the panels.

 

[blume357]

As usual some folks have a problem wrapping their heads around progress....
No matter how hard you keep your head stuck in the sand.... it will happen.

before your panties get too wadded up think about this.... the only energy on this planet after we run out of Uranium is from the sun.... that's where the oil and gas originally came from it's actually what causes the wind even.... .....Once all that runs out... where is the power going to come from?.... does not matter if that is 100 years from now or 100,000 it is going to happen. The thing that many can't get is 100,000 years is nothing ... just a blink of God's eye.....

 

[RRM]

Personally, I thought and still think that NUCLEAR power makes more sense than wind or solar which is environmentally polluting and kills grass under the panels.

It sure does for the AMOUNT of power we "need". Have you read about the enviro issues created by making the "green" stuff and also using and disposing of it (and a lot of that "stuff" has a pretty short useful life, certainly in comparison to a nuke). I'd much rather see more of the newer nuclear facilities built myself.

 

[RRM]

Once all that runs out... where is the power going to come from?.... does not matter if that is 100 years from now or 100,000 it is going to happen.

And we may well be "back to the stone age" when that happens. Come on, we likely won't even be here in the nearer term. We'll exhaust the other resources we need before then. Maybe some enclaves scattered around like cockroaches.

One day, the sun will go supernova and burn the earth to a husk in the proverbial "blink of an eye". I wonder if anyone will be here to "see" it.

 

[turd]

Personally, I thought and still think that NUCLEAR power makes more sense than wind or solar which is environmentally polluting and kills grass under the panels.

And where would you store the used nuclear fuel rods in perpetuity? In your community? This is a huge issue, and I am an advocate of the used fuel rods being stored in the community that uses the nuclear power. Don't ship it (yikes) to some random mountain in Nevada, keep it where you use it. Find a way to deactivate the rods.

 

[RRM]

generation by solar and wind has definite advantages including free fuel

NOTHING comes for "free".

 

[RRM]

And where would you store the used nuclear fuel rods in perpetuity? In your community? This is a huge issue, and I am an advocate of the used fuel rods being stored in the community that uses the nuclear power. Don't ship it (yikes) to some random mountain in Nevada, keep it where you use it. Find a way to deactivate the rods.

You need to read up on disposal issues surrounding all this "green" stuff if you're concerned on that. Everything has multiple negatives. Spent fuel rods are one of the nuke issues.

And, yes, you may have to store them in "your community". Or, don't get a nuke and rely on the alternatives! Worked out great for TX a couple years ago.

 

[jimbo1096]

you shoot the old nuke materials off to burn up in the sun, sounds good anyways.