A hybrid vehicle erupted into flames after a crash with a non-electric vehicle at an intersection in Logan, south of Brisbane at around 6am on Tuesday.
There were two motorists inside at the time of the collision, who were able to get out of the crash by themselves.
A police source told Daily Mail Australia that a 2017 Toyota CH-R Hybrid was involved in a collision with a 1992 Ford Laser.
Those involved in the crash were checked by paramedics who soon arrived at the scene and appeared to be uninjured.
The crash caused a huge ball of flames after an explosion and led to roads in the area being temporarily closed.
Electric vehicles pose a growing problem for firefighters with an ever increasing number of them on Australian roads and other inherent problems.
A hybrid vehicle has erupted into flames after a crash with a non-electric vehicle at an intersection in Logan, south of Brisbane
There were two motorists inside at the time of the collision, who were able to get out of the crash by themselves
Last February, an electric vehicle charger put an entire power pole out of service after bursting into flames in the heat.
A red Tesla Model Y was plugged into an EV charging station in Woodend, Victoria, 70km north-west of Melbourne, when smoke started coming out of the electrical box connected to the charger.
The Tesla appeared to be undamaged as pieces of flaming utility box fell to the base of the gum tree beside the post.
Some online commenters blamed the Elon Musk-owned car company, saying the car was overworking the powerlines.
Last February, an electric vehicle charger put an entire power pole (pictured) out of service after bursting into flames in the heat
Firefighters used 22,000 litres of water to extinguish a Tesla Model S that caught on fire while the driver was on a California freeway
In January of this year, a Tesla Model S caught fire on a freeway in Sacramento, California in the US. requiring emergency responders to use 22,000 litres of water to put it out.
The emergency services said there was nothing previously wrong with the car and the driver was not injured.
In March, a Sydney home went up in flames after an e-bike caught fire in its garage, prompting firefighters to urge owners not to leave them on charge for too long.
A woman was forced to escape the home by jumping from a second floor balcony as crews battled the blaze which spread from the garage to the ground floor.
Pictures of the damage showed the home blackened by the flames and the remains of a scorched e-bike lying amongst other rubble in the garage.
Firefighters believed the blaze erupted after the bike’s faulty lithium-ion battery exploded while it was charging overnight.
The blast of the battery exploding was heard across the suburb with one neighbour recalling seeing ‘smoke billowing out of the garage’.
Pictures of the damage show the home blackened by the flames and the remains of a scorched e-bike lying amongst other rubble in the garage.
Crews took several other lithium-ion batteries from the home over fears they would explode or ignite after being exposed to the flames.
It took firefighters hours to bring the blaze under control (pictured), believed to have been sparked by a battery charging in the garage
Firefighters believed the blaze erupted after the bike’s faulty lithium-ion battery exploded while it was charging overnight
Firefighters reminded e-bike riders that faulty or over-charged lithium batteries can be a ‘serious’ safety risk.
‘They can off-gas and explode, causing intense fires that are extremely difficult to extinguish and are at risk of re-igniting,’ they warned.
Owners of e-bikes are advised to stick to reputable and compatible lithium-ion battery brands and avoid charging their vehicles overnight or overcharging them.
In late January, a Queensland couple’s luxury waterfront home was razed by a fire understood to have been sparked by a lithium battery.
The $1.65million house on Nootka Court in Broadbeach Waters on the Gold Coast was engulfed by the blaze.
‘Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was caused by a failure in an e-scooter battery pack,’ a QFES spokesperson said at the time.
Though rare, incidents of EV battery fires and recalls of electric vehicles due to fire risks have been widely reported.
Last November, the United Firefighters Union of Australia (UFUA) called on governments to help reduce risks associated with potential EV battery fires.
UFUA’s National Committee of Management urging all levels of government in Australia to ‘develop policy and regulate the management of risks and hazards associated with electric vehicles and battery energy storage systems (BESS)’.
An elderly couple’s luxury waterfront home was razed by a fire understood to have been sparked by a lithium battery (pictured)
Emergencies caused by EVs and BESS presented significant challenges and threats to firefighters, the community and to the environment, the union’s national secretary Greg McConville said.
‘While we welcome the increased use of EVs and BESS as part of renewable energy efforts to combat climate change, we must acknowledge that this new technology presents unique risks.’
Eric Rodda, the South Australian spokesman for the Australian Electric Vehicle Association, however, said EVs are safer than traditional cars.
‘There’s less risk of an EV catching fire than a petrol car,’ he said.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk