There is NO reliable data around battery fires. If you dig into the data, it is all collected from newspaper headlines. So when EV enthusiasts tell you that the fire are rare, they really don't know that.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) looked into that problem. Understanding the Risk of Lithium-Ion Battery Fires. This report is from March of this year.
Lithium ion battery (LIB) fires are a growing problem that extends across the supply chain, including mining, production, warehousing, shipping, and waste disposal, as well as the consumer side. But data on such fires is fragmented and mostly incomplete. Many are secondary data sources, and for the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission data sets identification of LIB fires is difficult.
Now the NIST report is a PDF of government-produced bureaucratic speak. That said, it is remarkably readable. It is mostly a statement of the problem. We don't have the data. It is hard or impossible for firefighters to collect some of the data. etc. In short, the data we do have is questionable.
The easiest way to come to an understanding of the problem is to watch the 7 minute video below.
This is the StacheD Training video EV Fire Data Is Just News Headlines: NIST Proved It!
Yep, its weird. The South Koreans have the best Stats setup in the world. All based on an Extended VIN system. So, every fire of any kind or any reason is recorded. The Battery Type, and Manufacturer and the actual Plant the battery was manufactured in is automatically recorded. Very little difference between ICE and EV fire frequency. The consequences of EV fires are much greater. 190% more on the payout (so far) than for ICE. I say "so far" because the toxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, immunotoxic nature of EV Battery Fires includes Gases, Heavy Metals and Forever Chemicals. So, short, medium and long term repercussions for the lives and health of those affected. Its a cross between Asbestos and Thalidomide. In it's effects. https://x.com/ThermalRunawayX/articles
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