RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Following the incident where an electric Tesla semi-truck caught fire on I-80, Lithium battery building specialists say that the next step in battery production is improved safety.
“Lithium batteries have been around for long time and before the onset of electric vehicles they were in laptops and electric tools, so we are familiar with them,” says CEO of Dragonfly Energy Denis Phares.
But there are some challenges when it comes to the batteries being used for our transportation.
The batteries are not as aggressive when they initially catch fire like gasoline tanks but are more difficult to put out when burning.
Electric car battery fires burn hotter, put out toxic fumes and require thousands of gallons of water to extinguish.
Which is why retired firefighter Jesse Corletto worked to find a solution.
“At the beginning of the year we launched E-Fire X which is a lithium battery fire suppression agent and can be used by the fire department and for personal use as well,” says Corletto.
Corletto is working on partnerships with city agencies and public safety organizations to help distribute these fire extinguishers and ensure communities are equipped for future battery fires.
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