Why the Waymo Car fire in new Los Angeles protest causes that Robotaxis will burn completely

Thermal Runaway explained why Waymo’s vehicles burnt fully in Los Angeles protests

by Deni Ellis Béchard edited to Dean Visser

Imagine looking at a vehicle burned until it seems to vaporize and the street itself begins with Sag. That happened on Sunday in Los Angeles, when protesters entered five southern jaguar I-Pace Robotaxis. If the smoke clears, almost the whole shell of each roof roof, doors, hoods, wheel panels without just the tire tires.

Why do the fires cause such a stop? The answer begins with the battery. Each i-Pace can lead to nearly 90 kilowatt-hour time to stored chemical strength, compared to about 170 pounds (77 kilos) in TNT. Energy is distributed with hundreds of linthium-ion cells, sealed with burning electrolyte and separated by polymer films as thinly snack-plastic bags. If any cell is punched or subtle – or place the aflame with an inpendary device-chemical reactions that are more heat than the cells followed by a chain reaction. This positive feedback loop is called “thermal runaway.” According to A 2024 study of Journal of Power real,, While the battery burns, its temperature may pass past 1,000 degrees Celsius.

At that point, the pack becomes its own furnace. The aluminum sections to surrender to the vehicle floor, liquid about 660 degrees c and people are taken with them. The frames of magnesium-seat-base-based frames, holding the steering column and the cross-car beam located behind the dashboard-flare bright white. Magnesium patches can be caught and burned. The plastics disappeared as steam, the wheels have lost their tire, and even the lidar mast of the roof is easily resembled by an overcook marshmallow. A 2025 study of Fire technology and a 2023 TAKE THE Used force It is noticed that the battery placement on the floor – sometimes mentioned as a “skateboard architecture” – the floor of the floor in the hottest zone. Thus, the flames burned up and out, cooked all the above.

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At all times, battery cells village with hydrogen fluoride, a toxic, flowing gas documented in laboratory packs of commercial lithium packs. Among the disturbing scenes from the protests of Los Angeles, which flowed into the federal immigration raids, were those protesters who fueled the burning Waymos. In history, the first response without the air protection caught throat throat and difficulties to breathe to reach the scenes of the trap. Depending on the fluoride level in hydrogen, a exposed person can begin to cough blood for minutes. While inhaling concentrations above 30 parts per million (PPM) are at risk of health, 50 ppm can be fatal if inhaled in half time up to an hourAccording to US centers for preventing disease and evasion. The Environmental Protection Agency is estimated that exposure to 170 PPM for 10 minutes can be fatal. Measurements taken near electric-vehicle fires showed peaks 150 to 450 ppm, with levels of most flames surrounding 50 ppm.

Firefighters call such explosions “fires in the batter box,” and they hate them. Flame-retardant bubbles have fewer bubbles, and fire departments are now preferred high pressure water lanans or immersion. Destroying a runaway battery usually means lowering temperature under runaway path for each last battery cell – a task that, According to a 2021 interview with Thaiery Smith in Austin Fire Departmentcan swallow 30,000 to 40,000 gallons (about 114,000 to 151,000 liters) water. That is at least 40 times in the amount of water needed to extinguish a fire on fuel. If you hit the flames, too much, stranded energy resigns later – a quirk The National Transportation Stans Safety Board flagged on 2020 reports of fire hazards.

The vehicle designers try to resolve the risk. Software monitors in the cell monitors and slows the rate at which battery fees to prevent striking. And it automatically cuts now if there is any look. However the best code cannot rewrite Chemistry: In the 2023 Jaguar recalls over 6,400 I-Pace cars – which are likely to be shortened by overted batteries – which are likely to be shortened by overted batteries – that may be shortened by overted batteries – which may be shortened by overed batteries – which may be shortened by overed batteries – which may be shortened by experienced batteries in their cells in production of their cells cells. Six of fires occurred while car has been plugged in or for a few minutes unplugged. Waymo’s fleet gets the update to better regulate batteries, but the software can’t help a person who kicks a windows in a “makeshift flamethrower,” as reported to Times of Los Angeles.

Can a Waymo Van burn as good? By only great effort. The first Chrysler of the Company Paciformy, being expelled by 2023, stored a tenth of their strong battery in a shell-shell shell. Steel keeps its appearance over 1,300 degrees C, so after a typical blow, you can still recognize the dead body. To avoid thermal runaway, the teslas have batteries to use thousands of small cellindrical cells unlocked within an aluminum tray with firebreaks. And most brands of electric-car batteries are now sitting on the same tight aluminum or steel boxes – and moves the less easy chemismers.

However, important, the Los Angeles scene is not meant to be electric cars are tinderboxes. A 2023 Finnish study appeared to be, miles in miles, they burned fire less frequently with fuel cars. But if an EV burns, the vocal transfer. You will never fight a puddle on the gasoline on asphalt; You struggle with a dense powerful force, metal-oxide determined to end what begins – and in such cases, a loose robotaxi a lake linen alloy.