EV owners now face battery-fuelled discrimination on ferries…
Australia’s marine safety watchdog calls for ferry operators to plan for lithium-ion battery fires, according to a new report.
They may soon have to jump through extra loopholes each time they board a ferry after a stern warning from Australia’s shipping watchdog about the potential for battery fires.
See marine workers putting out the fire from an electric vehicle.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has this week asked owners to start planning for the possibility that an electric car onboard will one day spontaneously catch fire.
It says an EV fire can be more challenging when compared with a conventionally-engined vehicle due to the “thermal runaway”, where a burning lithium-ion battery quickly builds in intensity.
As part of its recommendations, AMSA is advising that electric cars be parked separately from conventionally-engined ones in a special area on the boat. The advantage is that if a battery fire should break out, it will be safer to fight.