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[STEMO]

Ameland rescue: Ship with 3,000 cars in deadly fire off Dutch coast https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66310280

[LC0112G]

Ameland rescue: Ship with 3,000 cars in deadly fire off Dutch coast https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66310280

3000 cars, 25 of them electric. Hmmmm

[STEMO]

Ameland rescue: Ship with 3,000 cars in deadly fire off Dutch coast https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66310280

3000 cars, 25 of them electric. Hmmmm

Yes, Malcolm, one electric car has destroyed all of those lovely ICE vehicles. Sounds reasonable to me 

[LC0112G]

I wonder what will happen the first time one catches fire on the Chunnel.

[STEMO]

I wonder what will happen the first time one catches fire on the Chunnel.

They'll be banned until their safety record improves..........pleeeeease 

[dave the builder]

I wonder what will happen the first time one catches fire on the Chunnel.

They'll be banned until their safety record improves..........pleeeeease 

Indeed 
they need to STOP the roll out of electric cars and trying (and failing) to be carbon neutral etc until 2075 at least .

[Rangie]

Electric cars they are the work of the devil..😈

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

I saw a learner in a driving school car yesterday, driving what appeared to be an electric car.
Anyone know the legalities of what you can / cant drive if you take your test in an electric car ?

[Sir Tigger KC]

I saw a learner in a driving school car yesterday, driving what appeared to be an electric car.
Anyone know the legalities of what you can / cant drive if you take your test in an electric car ?

Presumably you can't drive a car with a manual gearbox. Or you'd think so anyway, but that would be common sense! 

[YZ250]

I saw a learner in a driving school car yesterday, driving what appeared to be an electric car.
Anyone know the legalities of what you can / cant drive if you take your test in an electric car ?

You are entitled to drive any automatic vehicle, the same as if you pass your test in an ICE automatic. 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Electrics arent exactly like automatics though afaik ?  Do they have drive / neutral/ reverse/ and a selector for various gears like an auto ? 

[ronnyd]

Electrics arent exactly like automatics though afaik ?  Do they have drive / neutral/ reverse/ and a selector for various gears like an auto ? 

Perhaps just a forward and back switch? 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Must check one out when Im back in work Friday. If it is just a forward / back switch, thats quite different, for a novice, from driving a normal auto car.

[Andy B]

Electrics arent exactly like automatics though afaik ?  Do they have drive / neutral/ reverse/ and a selector for various gears like an auto ? 

Perhaps just a forward and back switch? 

That's all my Merc has .... ie a column stalk (there's park & neutral too)

[Doctor Gollum]

No flappy buttons on the back of the wheel

[YZ250]

Electrics arent exactly like automatics though afaik ?  Do they have drive / neutral/ reverse/ and a selector for various gears like an auto ? 

Perhaps just a forward and back switch? 

That's all my Merc has .... ie a column stalk (there's park & neutral too)

Both the BMW and Audi have Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive, so effectively forwards and backwards. They do both have Sport Mode with flappy paddles where you can select gears but that function isn’t necessary to make it move.
Passing your driving test in an EV currently entitles a person to a Cat B Auto licence, which means they are still entitled to drive automatic petrol or diesels, even though the driving characteristics are probably completely different. 

[LC0112G]

No flappy buttons on the back of the wheel

My merc has flappy paddles on the back of the wheel. Don't do anything mind - coz its a manual 

[Sir Tigger KC]

Electrics arent exactly like automatics though afaik ?  Do they have drive / neutral/ reverse/ and a selector for various gears like an auto ? 

Perhaps just a forward and back switch? 

That's all my Merc has .... ie a column stalk (there's park & neutral too)

Both the BMW and Audi have Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive, so effectively forwards and backwards. They do both have Sport Mode with flappy paddles where you can select gears but that function isn’t necessary to make it move.
Passing your driving test in an EV currently entitles a person to a Cat B Auto licence, which means they are still entitled to drive automatic petrol or diesels, even though the driving characteristics are probably completely different. 

I took my test in a Morris Marina 1300 Pickup with no synchromesh between 3rd and 2nd, so I had to double-de-clutch when changing down. 

Totally different driving characteristics to a modern electric vehicle, but it wouldn't stop me having a go in one!   

[Andy B]

No flappy buttons on the back of the wheel

there are ..... but they're not often used .....

[Raeturbo]

These lecky cars are going to cause a real nasty accident soon and the fact is, we all know it! 3000 cars and one life is just a starter imo.

[ronnyd]

Another problem is that you sometimes can't hear the buggers coming, which is, to me, dodgy in a "shared space" environment.
Just a low whine, which i thought was the wife talking.

[Nick W]

These lecky cars are going to cause a real nasty accident soon and the fact is, we all know it! 3000 cars and one life is just a starter imo.

So what? ICE cars and their drivers have been doing it everyday for a century.


I spotted a Police Tesla this morning being driven at high speed. I wonder if it had enough charge left to return to the garage?

[LC0112G]

These lecky cars are going to cause a real nasty accident soon and the fact is, we all know it! 3000 cars and one life is just a starter imo.

So what? ICE cars and their drivers have been doing it everyday for a century.

Yeahbut, the fire brigade also have 100 years experiance of how to put petrol/diesel/oil fires out. At the moment they've got less than 10 years knowldge of how to put a lithium fire out - to the extent that so far they're still struggling.

My cynical view is that the leccy cars need to reach 'critical mass' of takeup before there is a serious fire which kills dozens/hundreds of people - otherwise the public might start having a "Hindenberg" type fear of the new tech. For instance a big fire on the Chunnel or a cross channel ferry.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

One of them caused a nasty fire in the pits at Lydenn Hill Rallycross recently. Apparently some quick thinking people in the pits prevented something catastrophic from happening.

[Raeturbo]

These lecky cars are going to cause a real nasty accident soon and the fact is, we all know it! 3000 cars and one life is just a starter imo.

So what? ICE cars and their drivers have been doing it everyday for a century.

Yeahbut, the fire brigade also have 100 years experiance of how to put petrol/diesel/oil fires out. At the moment they've got less than 10 years knowldge of how to put a lithium fire out - to the extent that so far they're still struggling.

My cynical view is that the leccy cars need to reach 'critical mass' of takeup before there is a serious fire which kills dozens/hundreds of people - otherwise the public might start having a "Hindenberg" type fear of the new tech. For instance a big fire on the Chunnel or a cross channel ferry.

               Of course… this is what I meant thankyou👍

[YZ250]

I wonder what will happen the first time one catches fire on the Chunnel.

The fires are a serious concern, serious enough for me to not want an EV anywhere near my house. If anyone remembers, over 40 years ago BMW made a fully electric vehicle named the BMW E1. It was just a trial at the time to see if a fully electric vehicle was a feasible possibility. It was a success for the engineers, with a range of around 125 miles if I remember correctly but, while on charge overnight it suddenly burst in to flames and destroyed it. Fast forward to current day, technology has moved on, the batteries have improved but they are still catching fire. Tesla’s, JLR iPace, Chevrolet, Dodge, Toyota, Mitsubishi and electric buses, bikes and scooters, they’ve all had incidents of fire. The percentage of this happening is quite low apparently, but not low enough for some people to be comfortable having an EV within a few feet of their house.

[Nick W]

I wonder what will happen the first time one catches fire on the Chunnel.

The fires are a serious concern, serious enough for me to not want an EV anywhere near my house. If anyone remembers, over 40 years ago BMW made a fully electric vehicle named the BMW E1. It was just a trial at the time to see if a fully electric vehicle was a feasible possibility. It was a success for the engineers, with a range of around 125 miles if I remember correctly but, while on charge overnight it suddenly burst in to flames and destroyed it. Fast forward to current day, technology has moved on, the batteries have improved but they are still catching fire. Tesla’s, JLR iPace, Chevrolet, Dodge, Toyota, Mitsubishi and electric buses, bikes and scooters, they’ve all had incidents of fire. The percentage of this happening is quite low apparently, but not low enough for some people to be comfortable having an EV within a few feet of their house.

Presumably you drain and purge the the fuel tank of vapours, then remove the battery before pushing any ICE car near your house? My experience of burnt out cars suggests that most of them were started by electrical faults.


I'm slightly surprised that nobody yet has been killed while working on electric cars.

[Raeturbo]

As pointed out earlier though it’s far easier to put an ICE car out than an electric car they just keep burning.

[YZ250]

I wonder what will happen the first time one catches fire on the Chunnel.

The fires are a serious concern, serious enough for me to not want an EV anywhere near my house. If anyone remembers, over 40 years ago BMW made a fully electric vehicle named the BMW E1. It was just a trial at the time to see if a fully electric vehicle was a feasible possibility. It was a success for the engineers, with a range of around 125 miles if I remember correctly but, while on charge overnight it suddenly burst in to flames and destroyed it. Fast forward to current day, technology has moved on, the batteries have improved but they are still catching fire. Tesla’s, JLR iPace, Chevrolet, Dodge, Toyota, Mitsubishi and electric buses, bikes and scooters, they’ve all had incidents of fire. The percentage of this happening is quite low apparently, but not low enough for some people to be comfortable having an EV within a few feet of their house.

Presumably you drain and purge the the fuel tank of vapours, then remove the battery before pushing any ICE car near your house? My experience of burnt out cars suggests that most of them were started by electrical faults.


I'm slightly surprised that nobody yet has been killed while working on electric cars.

Hang on Nick, we’re busy slagging off EV’s here, so don’t let real facts spoil the story. 

[Raeturbo]

🤣

[countrywoman]

Never leave any rechargeable battery unattended, house being renovated near here got burnt to the ground from a drill battery left on charge overnight catching fire. Owners only just escaped as asleep!

[ronnyd]

There are a few video's going around showing e-bikes and scooters bursting into flames. Makes you think that where/when is the best time or place to actually charge the damn things. I've been seriously considering buying an e-bike lately, but must admit it's put me off a bit. 

[Sir Tigger KC]

Never leave any rechargeable battery unattended, house being renovated near here got burnt to the ground from a drill battery left on charge overnight catching fire. Owners only just escaped as asleep!

Yes I put my impact wrench battery on charge in the garage the other day and forgot about it until I spotted it about a week later.   

Could have had a TB type incident! 

[STEMO]

Never leave any rechargeable battery unattended, house being renovated near here got burnt to the ground from a drill battery left on charge overnight catching fire. Owners only just escaped as asleep!

Yes I put my impact wrench battery on charge in the garage the other day and forgot about it until I spotted it about a week later.   

Could have had a TB type incident! 

We have a Bosch battery vacuum cleaner. There is a cut out once the battery is charged and the current is disconnected. All devices should have this. Of course, if the cut out was faulty........

[Rangie]

There are a few video's going around showing e-bikes and scooters bursting into flames. Makes you think that where/when is the best time or place to actually charge the damn things. I've been seriously considering buying an e-bike lately, but must admit it's put me off a bit. 

.


I'd sooner walk .

[Marks DTM Calib]

Never leave any rechargeable battery unattended, house being renovated near here got burnt to the ground from a drill battery left on charge overnight catching fire. Owners only just escaped as asleep!

Yes I put my impact wrench battery on charge in the garage the other day and forgot about it until I spotted it about a week later.   

Could have had a TB type incident! 

We have a Bosch battery vacuum cleaner. There is a cut out once the battery is charged and the current is disconnected. All devices should have this. Of course, if the cut out was faulty........

Any half decent charger does this, plus the better batteries have a device that when the battery vents, disconnects the electrical connection.

Of course, you don't generally associate 'decent' with eCigs and eBikes plus some of these low end rechargeable drills are far from top notch

[Andy B]

More from Geoff .... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3hkcu79gS8