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Are electric vehicles “ticking time bombs”? That’s what Carlos Gil says on his Facebook page after witnessing a Tesla Model Y blow up after a minor accident.
He says, 
“This is why I’ll never buy a Tesla. I saw one (Tesla Model Y) blow up in my neighborhood today. Firefighters had to hose it down in the middle of the street. Imagine spending $60K+ and ending up with a bonfire at a stop sign after a fender bender. The “future” isn’t electric, it’s a ticking time bomb on four wheels.”
Why This Social Media Post Doesn’t Tell the Full Story
I’ve been seeing a lot of chatter online lately, and one post in particular caught my eye. It’s the kind of thing that makes you pause and think, but is it true?
Carlos Gil shared a striking image: a Tesla Model Y, surrounded by firefighters, a scene that evokes all the most primal fears about new technology. His point was simple and direct: if a minor fender bender can cause a car to become a bonfire, is the electric vehicle (EV) revolution really all it’s cracked up to be?

It’s a fair question, and the emotional impact of that image is undeniable. The narrative is powerful: a $60,000-plus car turned into a “ticking time bomb on four wheels.” This is the kind of visceral reaction that can halt a conversation about EVs in its tracks. 
However, as someone who spends every day dissecting the automotive world, I would like to provide some context and clarity on this. It’s easy to get lost in the drama of a single incident, but the bigger picture of EV safety is far more complex and, frankly, reassuring. 
Let’s discuss this not from the perspective of a single Facebook post, but with an understanding of what’s happening beneath the surface.
To start, let’s address the core question that many people ask: why do electric car batteries catch fire? The term “fire” itself can be misleading because it’s not the same kind of fire we’re used to seeing. What happened in that photo was likely a phenomenon called thermal runaway. This occurs when a cell within the battery pack is damaged, often due to a severe impact or an internal manufacturing defect. 
Once a single cell overheats, it can release energy that causes a chain reaction, heating adjacent cells in a rapid, self-sustaining process. The sight of this can be startling, with jets of flame and smoke.
But here’s the key difference that often gets overlooked: an EV battery fire requires a specific set of circumstances to ignite and maintain itself. Unlike a gasoline fire, which can be started by a single spark and fueled by a liquid that is highly flammable even when vaporized, a battery fire is not an instantaneous explosion from a minor fender bender. 
It’s a progression. In most real-world scenarios, a low-speed collision doesn’t generate enough force to compromise the battery pack’s robust, multi-layer protective casing. The “bonfire at a stop sign” scenario, as described in the Facebook post, is an extremely rare occurrence and not representative of the majority of fender benders.
This brings us to one of the central concerns of Carlos Gil’s post: Is a Tesla a ticking time bomb on four wheels? The answer, from a statistical and engineering standpoint, is a definitive “no.” In fact, when we look at the broader data from organizations like the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) or the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), we get an accurate perspective. 
The Advanced Power Alliance states that statistics consistently show that internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles are significantly more likely to catch fire than electric vehicles. For every 100,000 vehicles, ICE cars have a substantially higher fire incident rate than their EV counterparts. 
The difference is often that an ICE fire is a lot less dramatic to the observer and, therefore, doesn’t make for as viral of a video. An EV fire, however, with its unusual, intense, and often-prolonged nature, becomes a spectacle that captures our collective attention.
This is a critical point when talking about understanding electric vehicle thermal runaway safety. Manufacturers are well aware of the risks, and they’ve invested billions in building a fortress around the battery. Think about the battery pack as a series of nested layers of protection. 
There’s the outer chassis of the car, followed by a hardened steel or aluminum shell encasing the entire pack. Inside that, individual battery modules are separated by fire-retardant materials. Finally, each cell has its own safety mechanisms.
Additionally, every EV has a sophisticated Battery Management System (BMS) that constantly monitors the temperature, voltage, and health of every single cell. If it detects an anomaly, it can isolate a problematic cell or even shut down the entire pack, long before thermal runaway can ever begin.
This meticulous engineering is why EVs consistently perform so well in crash tests. This, along with a lower center of gravity, which reduces the risk of rollover, brings us to a very real and important question: how safe are electric cars compared to gas-powered vehicles? 
The data, as I mentioned, indicates that EVs are at least as safe, and in many metrics, safer. You don’t have a tank full of highly explosive liquid sloshing around, or a complex engine generating thousands of degrees of heat. 
What you have is a carefully managed, sealed power source. A battery fire is a serious event, no doubt, and it requires specialized training for emergency responders, but its rarity and the extensive safety measures in place make it a manageable risk.
So, let’s turn our attention to what to do if your electric car battery is on fire and what you can do to protect yourself. 
First and foremost, if you are in a collision, regardless of the vehicle type, the best course of action is to exit the vehicle and move to a safe distance. Do not attempt to extinguish the fire yourself. Call 911 immediately and inform the dispatcher that you are reporting an electric vehicle. 
This will ensure that firefighters arrive with the correct equipment and training. For those of you in the market for a new car, you should also be sure that the vehicle you’re looking at has been subjected to rigorous safety testing by the NHTSA or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Most automakers, including Tesla, have excellent safety track records, and you should feel confident in their ability to keep you and your family safe.
In The End
Finally, for those who are still weighing the pros and cons of making the switch, I want to leave you with a comprehensive guide to electric car battery safety: do your research. Don’t let one emotional Facebook post define your entire perspective on a technology that is proven to be safe. 
Understand the engineering and the data behind it. Learn about the safety systems and testing protocols that every manufacturer must undergo. The fear of a spectacular event is a powerful one, but it shouldn’t overshadow the reality of everyday safety, which is paramount in any vehicle, gas or electric. Ultimately, the question of whether electric vehicles are safe for families to drive can be answered with a resounding “yes.”
It’s Your Turn
What do you believe is the single most misunderstood aspect of electric vehicle technology today? Click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.
Check out my $150K Audi Audi E-tron GT story: I Found a Flaming $150K Audi E-tron GT On Our Service Lift, It’s Hard Enough To Get an EV Fire Out On a Road, One Inside Presents A Whole New Set of Issues
I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news, covering owner stories, and providing expert analysis, ensuring that you are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on X @DenisFlierl, @WorldsCoolestRides, Facebook, and Instagram
Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Carlos Gil
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