ELI5- Are lithium batteries in electric cars more dangerous or hazardous than a gasoline car? If so, why or why not?
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Yes and no.
Under normal use, they’re both perfectly safe (pollution & environmental effects aside).
Both can be very dangerous, but in distinctly different ways.
Gas engines – the biggest danger with gas engines is fire. Gasoline burns, and can explode if ignighted in a confined space. However there are secondary dangers as well. A gas engine can also break apart during operation if it has not been well maintained. This can send parts flying at projectile speeds. It can also sieze up if it hasn’t been well maintained, and that could cause you to lose control of the vehicle. This is because many vehicles use power from the engine to run the power steering system.
Lithium batteries – the biggest danger here is also fire or explosion, but for different reasons. These batteries contain extreemly volitile materials that can react violently with moisture in the air. In the event the casing is damaged, and the materials inside are exposed to the atmosphere, they can potentially explode or catch fire. There is also the potential for severe electric shock, but this can only happen if a person completes an electric circuit with the battery. Additionally, exposed or faulty wiring can cause sparks that could potentially start a fire. This is a danger with *any* automotive electrical system, but is more severe when dealing with a high current system like an EV.
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