Tesla Car Fires After Hurricane Raise Alarm for Florida Officials
Florida senator is calling for action from the Transportation Department and automakers after a series of electric vehicle fires tied to Hurricane Ian.
The storm caused flooding and destruction across the state, and fire officials say they are still seeing its impact with EV batteries catching fire after saltwater damage. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is aware of multiple fires in Tesla Inc. vehicles, the agency said in a letter sent Friday to a Florida official and obtained by Bloomberg Government.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) raised concerns about the fires to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and EV makers — including Tesla, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., and Stellantis NV — in letters sent Thursday, asking for guidance and whether any recalls are being considered.
“This emerging threat has forced local fire departments to divert resources away from hurricane recovery to control and contain these dangerous fires,” Scott said. “Car fires from electric vehicles have proven to be extremely dangerous and last for a prolonged period, taking in many cases up to six hours to burn out.”
The fires could represent a new area of concern as the Biden administration seeks to rapidly expand electric vehicle use across the country. The administration is aiming to have 50% of all new cars sold in the US be electric by 2030.
Scott joins Jimmy Patronis, Florida's chief financial officer and state fire marshal, in drawing attention to the issue. Patronis said two houses burned down this week after an EV caught fire. He has asked manufacturers for help.
Patronis also wrote to NHTSA last week asking about the federal response and guidance. In its reply, NHTSA pointed to existing technical information and
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