Italy’s Transport Minister, Matteo Salvini, has raised concerns about the safety of electric vehicles following a tragic accident in mainland Venice. A fully electric shuttle bus crashed through an overpass guardrail during rush-hour, resulting in 21 fatalities. Salvini suggested that electric batteries might catch fire more quickly than other power sources. However, experts noted that the battery chemistry used in the Chinese-made bus is less prone to catastrophic fires.
The bus manufacturer, Yutong Group of China, primarily employs lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries in its models. This chemistry is generally considered safer for fire prevention due to its lower energy release compared to other chemistries like nickel-manganese-cobalt oxides.
Experts explained that LFP batteries are less prone to “thermal runaway,” where overheating in one battery cell triggers chemical reactions and fires in others. In batteries with nickel or cobalt, the release of oxygen can fuel a fire when temperatures rise. However, the strong bond between oxygen and phosphorus in LFP batteries prevents oxygen from escaping.
While LFP batteries provide less energy storage and, consequently, less traveling range, they are considered safer in fire scenarios. Although fires can still occur if a battery cell is breached and short-circuits, the lack of oxygen results in less intense fires compared to other battery chemistries.
Italy’s Transport Minister Salvini’s focus on electric vehicle technology drew criticism, with some suggesting that it was inappropriate given the ongoing investigation, which includes examining the guardrail that gave way. Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro clarified that the accident had nothing to do with the fact that the bus was electric.
The tragic accident took the lives of tourists from various countries, including Ukrainians, Romanians, Germans, Portuguese, Croatians, and a South African. Investigators are analyzing video footage from the scene and inside the bus, as well as the vehicle’s data recording device. An autopsy will be performed on the deceased bus driver, and his cellphone will be examined. The survivors, including seriously and critically injured individuals, are in a delicate psychological condition, having lost close relatives in the accident.
The accident highlighted the importance of safety in electric vehicles and raised questions about the role of battery chemistry in preventing catastrophic fires in the event of crashes.