The article reviews the history and rise of electric vehicles (EVs), explaining that while electric motors have long offered superior torque and control, early EVs were limited by poor battery technology. Modern lithium-ion batteries and advanced power electronics finally made EVs practical, though they come with risks such as rare but difficult-to-extinguish fires.
EVs generally catch fire far less often than gasoline cars, but damaged batteries can be dangerous. Charging remains the main drawback: Level 1 is very slow, Level 2 is practical for homes, and Level 3 chargers are mostly commercial. Charging is particularly challenging for residents of older high-rise buildings with limited electrical capacity.
Whether someone should buy an EV depends on their driving patterns and access to chargers. While EVs won’t replace all cars soon, they are firmly established and likely to become increasingly common.
Love Them or Hate Them, Electric Vehicles Are Here to Stay
Though practical electric vehicles (EVs) are relatively new, the first electric cars were built in the early 1800s. Like any new device, there were competing technologies that tried to take over this new market. First the steam engine, then the electric motor and the internal combustion engine. Eventually the internal combustion engine won out. But just like digital video discs (DVDs) edged out video home systems (VHS) and Betamax, modern electric cars are taking their place alongside our beloved Internal combustion engine vehicles.
ELECTRIC MOTORS RULE… ALMOST
Most people do not realize that railway locomotives and small ships have been run by electric motors since the early 1900s. The power for the electric drivetrain is derived from diesel engine-generator sets. The rationale behind this setup is the electric motor’s superior torque and speed control. Electric motors generate 100 percent of their maximum torque at zero revolutions per minute (RPMs), compared to internal combustion engines that must rev up to 1000s of RPMs to achieve maximum torque.
Electric motors require a source of voltage to operate. This is where the internal combustion engine found its advantage. Gasoline, kerosine and diesel fuel are relatively stable and easily transported. Solving the control problem with a mechanical transmission was easier than creating a controllable source of electricity.
BATTERIES HAVE EVOLVED SLOWLY
Batteries have been in existence in various forms for centuries. The lead-acid battery, invented in the mid-1800s, was the first rechargeable battery. Though many other battery technologies exist, the lead-acid battery is still in common use to this day. But the invention of the integrated circuit in the 1950s started a microelectronics boom that appears to be exponential and never ending. The advent of smaller and smaller electronics that take more and more power led the push for better portable batteries. Many of us can remember the NiCad battery and its infamous memory if it wasn’t run all the way down before recharging. Then came NiMH which was a bit better than NiCad.
THE GAME CHANGER
Lithium-ion batteries were game-changers that allowed technology to continue to flourish. Most of the popular electronics including mobile phones, ear buds, portable games, and the like contain some form of a lithium-ion battery. Lithium technology offers high-power output with a very small footprint and weight compared to previous technologies. These are the batteries that have made electric cars more practical and able to compete with internal combustion engine vehicles, at least in some markets.
Another game-changer developed in the 1980s is giant transistor technology. This technology made it possible for the alternating current (AC) motor to replace the very heavy and inefficient direct current (DC) motor that was previously required for precision speed control.
THERE IS A DOWNSIDE
Although lithium batteries are a game-changer, they are not without a downside. They are susceptible to thermal runaway, a process where excessive heat fuels a reaction that produces more heat that results in fire or other destruction. Additionally, a lithium battery in thermal runaway can produce flammable gases that further contribute to the destruction of the battery and things around it. This is why lithium batteries are not allowed in the cargo hold of an airplane. This started with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone that was known to overheat and catch fire due to a defect in its battery design.
EV FIRES ARE RARE
Electric vehicle fires are quite rare. But when they happen, they are sensational. Unfortunately, data from the U.S. has not been compiled. There is some data floating around about lithium battery fires in general. That data shows most battery fires are not EV batteries but skateboards, e-bikes, personal electronics and children’s products. Sweden, an early adopter of EV technology, has been collecting data on passenger car fires since 2018. Their data shows 3.77 fires per 100,000 EVs, and 77.28 fires per 100,000 internal combustion engine passenger vehicles. This data shows that an internal combustion engine passenger vehicle is over 20 times more likely to catch fire than an electric vehicle. The data also shows that EVs are almost five times more likely to catch fire while charging than while driving.
Most lithium battery fires are due to defective batteries. The defect can be a manufacturer’s defect or from external damage due to an accident. The thing to remember here is to be wary of an EV that has been in a serious accident. It is imperative to be sure that the batteries are not damaged.
The rare EV fire is quite difficult to extinguish. Conventional methods of extinguishing the fire are not as effective in fighting an EV fire. When fighting a fire in an internal combustion engine vehicle, the strategy is to starve the fire of oxygen and cool the fuel to below its ignition temperature to prevent reignition. When a lithium battery goes into thermal runaway, starving it of oxygen will stop the other flammable components of the vehicle from burning but the battery will still be producing intense heat, which will reignite any fuel in the car. Additionally, the batteries release toxic, flammable gases that can also fuel the fire. It takes a lot of water to extinguish the fire and keep the batteries cool until they are discharged.
CHARGING IS THE BIGGEST DRAWBACK
Driving an EV can be an exhilarating experience. The high torque at low RPMs of the electric motor makes even the cheapest EV quick off the line. The higher-end models hold the road fabulously due to their low center of gravity and the extra weight of the batteries.
But charging anxiety is a real thing when it comes to driving an EV. If one is used to filling their car up with gas, driving the car to a quarter tank, then stopping by the gas station for a quick fill-up, this routine will be severely challenged. With an EV, there is no such thing as a quick fill-up. Even Tesla Superchargers take 30 minutes or more to charge the battery to 80 percent. One could hook their car to a public charger and then go to dinner, if there is a nearby charger and if it is available. One way to alleviate charging anxiety is to plug the car in every day so that each day starts with a fresh charge. This, of course, requires easy access to a charger.
TYPES OF CHARGERS
There are three charging levels available. A level 1 charger usually comes with the car and is practically useless; it may take two or more days to charge the battery to 80 percent. Level 2 chargers will be what most people will have access to and come in a range of 30 to 60 amps. It is relatively easy to install a level 2 charger in a single-family home. It uses the equivalent of an electric dryer or electric range circuit. Level 3 chargers are typically the large commercial chargers that are found in parking lots and other public spaces.
WHAT ABOUT HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS?
High-rise living can offer many conveniences, but EV-charging is typically not one of them. Some of the newer buildings have installed EV-charging infrastructure and are friendly to EV owners. Most older buildings have not installed EV-charging infrastructure. Older buildings typically do not have the electrical capacity for more than a few level 2 chargers. A study for a particular older building in Hawai’i found that there was capacity for 26 level 2 chargers, but the board of directors was reluctant to approve them for fear of using all their spare capacity for car charging. Buildings that are 50-plus years old are due for electrical infrastructure upgrades. These upgrades should always include EV-charging capacity.
SHOULD YOU BUY AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE?
Will everyone eventually be driving an EV? Time will tell, but a look at the history of transportation could give a clue. There are still horse-drawn carriages on the road in certain parts of Iowa and Pennsylvania, so it may be a long, long time. Will a majority of vehicles be electric-powered? Most likely, yes. But who knows when? Should you buy an EV? It depends on your driving habits and access to charging. A person who lives in an older high-rise should probably think twice before purchasing an EV, as access to a charger may involve convincing your board to have an engineer perform an electrical system capacity assessment and install EV chargers if the system has capacity (or add capacity if none exists). A person who lives in a single-family home with a level 2 charger in their garage will have a much easier decision to make. However, thanks to Tesla, Volkswagen, and the other major car companies, EVs are here to stay – love them or hate them.
