While electric vehicles are generally considered some of the safest on the roads by testing agencies, there's still much to be learned about their safety. The recent accident in British Columbia sheds light on this issue.
According to Cpl. Dennis Hwang, a spokesperson for the Richmond RCMP, the battery pack of the Audi e-tron "ejected" and combusted on impact. The video of the accident clearly shows the battery separating from the vehicle as it spins from the collision's force. Other images from the scene also show the battery a short distance from the damaged Audi.
Fortunately, the driver of the Audi, a 31-year-old man, was not seriously injured, and the 49-year-old Toyota driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Cpl. Hwang added that they had to temporarily close the street due to the power line being knocked down and the Audi's battery pack catching fire. He emphasized that the safety of the community was the top priority during the incident.
This marks the first reported instance of an electric vehicle's battery pack being ejected post-collision, according to Cpl. Hwang. Audi has yet to make a statement regarding the accident.
Source: Electrek
