Officials have warned electric vehicle (EV) owners in the path of Hurricane Helene that their EVs are at risk of catching fire if flooded with saltwater and to take necessary precautions.
This week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told owners to park their EVs where they won’t become submerged to avoid the risk of fire, incidents that have been reported after hurricanes.
Tesla alerted its customers that if they observe “fire, smoke, audible popping/hissing or heating” after their vehicle has been submerged to retreat and call first responders.
Florida’s Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis issued a press release before the hurricane touched down, telling people that if they had an EV, a scooter with a lithium-ion battery, or a golf cart with a battery in an area that could become submerged with salt water, they should “move those assets to higher ground.” …