Important News from Your Texas Accident Lawyer
U.S. Government Investigates Chevy Volt for Lithium Battery Fires
Posted on Nov 27, 2011
Pearland auto defect lawyers notify you that the NHTSA is investigating the Chevy Volt, an electrically powered "smart" car. The NHTSA investigation focuses on fire dangers posed by the car's lithium battery in the event of a crash.
This particular NHTSA investigation does not stem from a rash of public accident reports and consumer complaints. Our Pearland auto defect lawyers mention that this represents an unusual twist on the usual sequence of events. This investigation stems from unexpected fires that resulted on the NHTSA's own premises following ordinary crash tests of the Chevy Volt.
About six months ago in May, a fire erupted in the battery of a Chevy Volt being stored on the lot of a test facility. The Chevy Volt had undergone a side-impact crash test that punctured the battery and ruptured the coolant line.
Last week, the NHTSA tested three more of the Chevy Volt lithium-ion batteries in side impacts simulating the May test that first brought the problem to light. One of the batteries caught fire, another experienced a temporary temperature increase, and a third battery emitted smoke and sparks.
The NHTSA has opened a formal safety defect investigation into the lithium-ion batteries in the Chevy Volt. The agency says it's still too early to tell whether the investigation will lead to a formal product recall. General Motors claims that the Chevy Volt is safe and does not present an undue risk "immediately after a severe crash."
These Pearland auto defect lawyers note that this statement might be true, but that the chemical nature of a lithium-ion battery means that it would generally take some time after being damaged to erupt into flame. Indeed, it might be safe "immediately" after your Chevy Volt crash. But the lithium battery could erupt into flame later at the crash scene, causing you severe injuries. Or the lithium battery could burst into flame after the car's been towed away and stored for repair or salvage.
Lithium-ion batteries have greater energy density than other batteries. That's what makes them so useful in modern technology. It's also what makes them so dangerous.
A UPS plane carrying thousands of lithium batteries caught fire and crashed in Dubai last year, claiming the lives of both pilots. The FAA has since warned airlines of the dangers of fires erupting from cargos containing lithium batteries.
Our Pearland auto defect lawyers have seen a number of recalls over the years in consumer electronics because of dangerous and defective lithium-ion batteries. In 2006 and 2007, several major PC and laptop manufacturers recalled their products because of the danger that they would catch fire if the lithium-ion batteries overheated.
As Pearland auto defect lawyers we remind you to be careful with your lithium battery-powered products. And watch for important safety recalls that might affect them. Timely return of an unsafe, recalled product to the manufacture could save you from severe injury or even death.
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