Ponce
8th December 2011, 10:29 AM
Chevy Volt Finally Catching Fire . . .
November 12, 2011 7:31 A.M. By Greg Pollowitz
Literally, alas. The New York Times:
Federal safety regulators said Friday that they were examining lithium-ion batteries used in electric cars because a Chevrolet Volt ignited three weeks after it underwent a crash test.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also said it was working with all automakers to develop postcrash procedures to keep occupants of electric vehicles and emergency personnel who respond to crash scenes safe.
General Motors, which began selling the Volt last December, defended it as “a safe car” and said the fire would not have occurred if G.M.’s protocols for deactivating the battery after the crash had been followed. The Volt, a plug-in hybrid, was designed to operate primarily as an electric car with a backup gasoline engine.
Federal officials also said they had no reason at this time to view the Volt as unsafe.
Still, news of the fire and subsequent investigation, first reported by Bloomberg News, sent shares of G.M. down as much as 3 percent on Friday. The stock closed down nearly 1 percent, while the broader market gained about 2 percent.
http://www.nationalreview.com/planet-gore/283036/chevy-volt-finally-catching-fire-greg-pollowitz
November 12, 2011 7:31 A.M. By Greg Pollowitz
Literally, alas. The New York Times:
Federal safety regulators said Friday that they were examining lithium-ion batteries used in electric cars because a Chevrolet Volt ignited three weeks after it underwent a crash test.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also said it was working with all automakers to develop postcrash procedures to keep occupants of electric vehicles and emergency personnel who respond to crash scenes safe.
General Motors, which began selling the Volt last December, defended it as “a safe car” and said the fire would not have occurred if G.M.’s protocols for deactivating the battery after the crash had been followed. The Volt, a plug-in hybrid, was designed to operate primarily as an electric car with a backup gasoline engine.
Federal officials also said they had no reason at this time to view the Volt as unsafe.
Still, news of the fire and subsequent investigation, first reported by Bloomberg News, sent shares of G.M. down as much as 3 percent on Friday. The stock closed down nearly 1 percent, while the broader market gained about 2 percent.
http://www.nationalreview.com/planet-gore/283036/chevy-volt-finally-catching-fire-greg-pollowitz