Hyperdrive
Battery Fires Put BMW and Ford on Back Foot as EVs Take Off
- Companies join GM, Hyundai in having models go up in flames
- Carmakers, regulators act carefully as plug-in offerings soar
Ford hybrid Kuga SUV
Source: Ford Motor Co.
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First, Hyundai Motor Co. made headlines about its electric cars catching fire. Five days later, it was General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. The next day, it was BMW AG.
Vehicles going up in flames aren’t new to the electric era. An estimated 171,500 took place annually in the U.S. alone over a recent three-year period, and cars powered by the combustion of gasoline are plenty prone to catching fire. But the issues affecting some of the world’s largest automakers over the past week are both a reflection of plug-in models taking off in the market and a threat to more widespread adoption.