The first known instance of a plug-in hybrid car going up in flames occurred on June 7 in Columbia, South Carolina to a 2008 Prius that had been converted to plug-in capability for the Central Electric Power Cooperative. The conversion was performed with a Hybrids-Plus PHEV15 conversion kit that uses an A123 Systems lithium ion battery pack. The incident is still under investigation by Phoenix, Arizona-based Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation. Initial information indicates the fire may have been triggered by something related to the on-board battery charger and the car had previously experienced some mechanical issues related to that.

Unfortunately, the car didn't have a data logging system installed which might have helped to isolate the cause. No one was injured and the battery pack sustained some damage but was apparently intact and functional - implying that it was not the cause of the fire. What this points out is that before plug-in hybrids and EVs are brought to market a lot of engineering and validation testing needs to be done to ensure that all systems in the car are safe, durable and properly integrated. This is actually the part of vehicle development that often takes the most time. It's not just the batteries that have to work, but all the bits and pieces around it. That's why it's taking almost four years from concept to production for the Volt and why Toyota is in no rush to bring the PHEV Prius to market.

[Source: Cooperative Research Network, thanks to the un-named reader for the tip!]

Our Engadget buddies have posted a picture of a GEM electric truck on fire. There is really no explanation with the article except "GEM neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) burning peacefully on the UC Riverside campus, January 15th, 2008." The post is titled "And you thought that laptop fire sucked..." and some comments have concluded it's a fire caused by the electric car's battery or wiring.

TG Daily is reporting that the UC "campus Police Department said it could have been a test burn." TG Daily also says GEM cars have started two other fires. If I were GEM, I would look into this one quickly because the post has over 400 diggs, more than 60 comments at Engadget and, while shocking, the picture is kinda cool. That's the perfect recipe to start a very bad rumor about GEM's cars.

Related:

• Unplugged electric car likely cause of building fire in San Francisco
• G-Wiz electric vehicle recalled in UK because of fire risk

[Source: Engadget thanks to tipster Remy]

NASA has developed a new processor which is capable of sustained use in extremely hot conditions. How hot? Only about 500 degrees... Celsius! While I immediately thought of the extreme overclocking potential, NASA has more realistic and admirable goals in mind:

NASA believes that this breakthrough, that it claims represents a 100-fold tolerance increase in what has previously been achieved, could lead to improved safety and fuel efficiency as well as reduced emissions from jet engines. The chip would also apply to other space exploration applications, for example, robotic exploration on the hostile surface environment of Venus.

Cool... um, I mean that's hot! Other potential automotive uses are being thought up as well, considering that this chip can withstand the high underhood temperatures common to the automobile.

[Source: Daily Tech via Engadget]

click photo to enlarge

The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District has scored a zero-emissions win by operating the Mercedes-Benz F-Cell as a supervisor's vehicle, effectively the first fuel cell-powered fire response vehicle. The Fire Service Mercedes-Benz F-Cell features a number of upgrades on the standard model with decals, lights, sirens and lots of red paint, the operation of which is expected to provide valuable real-world data on fuel cell operations.

Fuel cells release energy from the reaction of hydrogen with a catalyst and oxygen. This clean technology operates at a high level of efficiency and is true zero-emissions. DaimlerChrysler now has the largest fleet of fuel cell vehicles in the world, over 100, with almost 2 million miles logged, and has invested more than $1 billion in fuel cell technology. The DaimlerChrysler fleet includes medium-duty fuel cell Dodge Sprinter vans and more than 35 Mercedes-Benz Citaro fuel cell buses, which operate in Europe, the United States, Japan, Australia and Singapore.

The entire fuel cell system, developed by Ballard Power Systems, is housed in the floor of the vehicle, leaving full use of the passenger and cargo spaces. Range is around 100 miles / 160 km with a respectable top speed of 85 mph / 137 km/h. You might never make it to that speed though as the acceleration from the 88 hp / 65 kW electric motor offers only a glacial 0 to 60 mph in 16 seconds.


The compressed-gas cylinders in the F-Cell vehicles are lightweight and robust. Enveloped in carbon fiber, these aluminum containers can withstand a pressure of over 800 bar.

Analysis: Honestly when I first read the headline I was expecting a huge, red ladder truck straight out of Backdraft. So the fact that its a red A-Class with flashing lights was a bit disappointing. Still, you have to start somewhere and credit to DaimlerChrysler for putting their fuel cell technology out in the field for real-world testing. Considering that hydrogen-powered fuel cells emit only pure water vapor as exhaust, they really are one of the technologies we'd all like to see succeed.

Related:

• A Resource Investors thoughts on the State of the Union address: Back lithium, thorium, hydrogen and more
• Team Fate beefing up a GM Equinox with li-ions for Challenge X
• Volkswagen betting each way on powertrain technologies

[Source: DaimlerChrysler]