New video footage of a fire involving a Ford (NYSE:F) F-150 Lightning this year highlights a growing concern around electric vehicles: volatile fires from the batteries that power them.
The previously unreleased footage shows smoke billowing from three tightly packed electric pickups in a Ford Motor holding lot in Dearborn, Michigan.
Moments later, flames shoot several feet above the vehicles, which were unoccupied. It wasn’t clear based on public documents and police video how long the fires burned. Experts say EV fires can take hours, rather than minutes, to extinguish.
EV fires have become a growing concern as automakers push to increase sales of electric vehicles and meet tightening emissions standards.
The Feb. 4 holding lot fire at Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn prompted the company to quickly halt production of the new pickup for five weeks. The automaker also recalled 18 of the vehicles, which
Ford has likened to the Model T in terms of importance to the company.
Ford identified the root cause as related to battery cell production made by supplier, SK On.
Police officers responding to the blaze described the vehicles as being “engulfed in flames” and can be heard on video worrying that the vehicles could “blow up.” Lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in EVs, can be volatile and extremely difficult to put out once on fire.
F shares handed back 15 cents, or 1.3%, to $11.71.
