More than 80,000 electric vehicles are registered in North Carolina.
They are great for a lot of things, but a big concern is how hard it can be to put out an EV that's on fire.
Other WRAL Top Stories
The Southern Pines Fire Department is looking ahead at how to deal with EV fires. Two new fire blankets, at $1,600 each, could be the answer.
These blankets can cover cars of many sizes. The fire resistant material slows the spread, allowing first responders to get the burning vehicle away from other cars or buildings.
Southern Pines Fire Chief Mike Cameron tells me they haven't had an EV fire yet, but they want to be prepared.
"We've had some fires that were lithium ion battery related for telephones," said Cameron. "We actually had a pretty good apartment fire that was caused by a child's scooter that was electrical."
A Tesla engulfed in flames at Raleigh-Durham International Airport last fall blocked travelers from getting on their planes.
"There is no more electric vehicle fires than there are gas vehicle fires," Cameron said. "However, the problem is when you have an electric vehicle fire, it's more challenging for the fire department to put out."
Cameron said the difficulty stems from multiple batteries in a battery box that's difficult to get to.
"When you get one cell going, you can have what's called thermal runaway, and it can go from cell to cell to cell," Cameron said. "It's very difficult to get water or other extinguishing agents on that."
There is also a longer term use for the blankets, which could stay wrapped around the cars for weeks later.
"There is some proven data out there that says these batteries, once they've been damaged by a wreck or damaged by fire, they can actually reignite 30 days later," Cameron said.