A California-based luxury electric carmaker is in damage-control
mode this week, deflecting concerns that its high-voltage battery
packs may pose a fire hazard.
Anaheim-based Fisker Automotive is saying the lithium-ion
batteries that power its troubled Karma did not cause an Oct. 30
Port Newark fire that damaged 16 of the vehicles, which list for
more than $100,000 each.
The company said in a statement emailed Tuesday to The Record
that the cars were submerged in 5 to 8 feet of seawater for several
hours during superstorm Sandy. The fire, which occurred after the
water receded, was the result of salt residue that caused a short
circuit in a low-voltage control module in one of the cars.
"This residual salt damage caused a short circuit which led to a
fire that heavy winds then spread to other Karmas parked nearby,"
the statement said. "The Karma's lithium-ion batteries were ruled
out as a cause or contributing factor.''
The inspection of the damaged vehicles by Fisker Automotive
engineers was witnessed by National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration representatives, the company said. The NHTSA, which
did not immediately respond Tuesday to requests for comment, last
year investigated Chevrolet's Volt after battery packs caught fire
following crash tests.
The regulator issued guidance in January to electric car owners
and emergency responders in which it said "there is potential for
delayed fire with damaged lithium-ion batteries," but it does not
believe that electric vehicles pose more risk of post-crash fires
than gasoline-powered vehicles.
Still, the NHTSA advised against parking a severely damaged
electric or hybrid-electric car inside a garage or within 50 feet of
another car or structure.
The 16 damaged Karmas were among the thousands of dealership-
bound vehicles from various automakers that were swamped at the port
by tidal surge from Sandy last week.
In December Fisker recalled 239 Karmas because of a battery
problem that could result in a fire, according to the NHTSA.
Two privately owned Karmas caught fire earlier this year, one in
May in Sugarland, Texas, and one in August in Woodside, Calif., but
the high-voltage batteries were not to blame, the company has said.
"I see no reason not to take them at their word," said Dan
Edmunds, director of vehicle testing at car-buying guide
edmunds.com.
Fisker has delivered more than 1,900 Karmas since last year.
