Florida seeks to create rules to prevent fires caused by batteries found in EVs
In Florida, Florida Daily reported that Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis announced his support of the DFS Agency Legislation. The legislation will authorize the State Fire Marshal’s office, which the CFO oversees, to create rules and regulations to prevent fires caused by lithium-ion batteries commonly found in electronic vehicles (EVs) such as scooters, hoverboards, golf carts, and battery-powered cars. “Florida leads the way in crafting new solutions to new problems like the fire hazards associated with EVs. With the advent of lithium-ion batteries being used in battery powered scooters, golf carts, and cars, EV fires are a new phenomenon that our firefighters are battling every day. It is imperative that our state create policies and procedures around lithium-ion batteries to prevent potential disasters,” Patronis said. “During Hurricane Ian, we witnessed several occasions where EVs that had been flooded by saltwater and eventually caught fire. This is dangerous when considering that many of these vehicles are parked in garages or at apartment complexes where there is a risk of the entire complex catching fire,” he added.
