GM has said that no Volts have caught fire in real-world crashes. Investigators then tried to duplicate the fires by similarly damaging two Volt battery packs. The blaze occurred three weeks after a side-impact crash test, and the car had been left out in the elements after the test. ![]() Transportation officials launched their investigation after a Volt that was damaged in a crash test caught fire at a test facility in Wisconsin in June. NHTSA is interested in setting up procedures for safely dealing with electric cars after crashes. The chemical reaction that stores and discharges energy from the battery is not the culprit, and engineers believe that if they can stop the coolant from leaking, they can stop the fires, the person said.Īlso Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, whose agency includes NHTSA, told reporters that the Volt is safe to drive even though the government is investigating the fires. NHTSA spokeswoman Lynda Tran would not comment on the investigation Tuesday evening. ![]() 25, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into Volt battery fires, which occurred from seven days to three weeks after crash tests by the agency. The coolant did not catch fire, but crystallized and created an electrical short that apparently sparked the fires, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the findings are not final. They are also looking at ways to bolster the Volt's frame to make it more resistant to side-impact crashes. The liquid solution that cools the Chevrolet Volt's batteries is the likely cause of fires that broke out inside the electric car after government crash tests, a person briefed on the matter said.Įngineers at General Motors Co., which makes the much-celebrated car, are working on structural changes to strengthen the car's T-shaped battery pack, the person said.
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