Interview with Mary Barra

[70 copo]

Without knowing the safety of the newer upcoming Battery technology from GM what we have today is Knowledge based upon experience. What we know:

These EV's can experience multiple classes of fires:

Class A (tires, fabrics, plastics).
Class B (fuel).
Class C (lithium-ion batteries in hybrid and electric cars).
Class D (magnesium, titanium, aluminum and lithium).
Electric vehicle fires can exceed 5,000 F. Applying water or foam may cause a violent flare-up as the water molecules separate into explosive hydrogen and oxygen gases.

There are several common risks for first responders associated with electric vehicle fires:

Electrical shock (up to 400 volts).
Extremely high temperatures and thermal runaway.
Toxic fumes.
Lithium burns (respiratory and skin reactions).
Toxic runoff.
Reignition up to 24 hours after initial extinguishment.

[70 copo]

To be fair here there are still more fires with ICE cars simply because the majority of vehicles are ICE.

Perhaps GM's new batteries are fire resistant? As of now however EV's catch fire all by themselves and that is another teething pain associated with the technology.

So you got to ask yourself? Do I put my EV in the garage at night and roll the dice?

Choices aplenty.

[Tenney]

7:57 (the whole clip's kinda cool, too) ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhh3JPGEEK8

[Tenney]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo

[Tenney]

9:15 ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4C6...ature=emb_logo

[70 copo]

Wayne,

For the sake of the discussion let's dig a bit further shall we? This is within the context of the burgeoning "right to repair" movement

Quote from GM: “Proponents incorrectly conflate ownership of a vehicle with ownership of the underlying computer software in a vehicle.”

GM has been able to mostly avoid the negativity here to date by simply implementing a lax enforcement stance and building a high quality product that requires on average few repairs. Kudos to GM!

John Deere... has decided to take on the farmers. Like Harley Davidson John Deere has made a calculated decision to show the people who buy, use and depend on its products "who is the boss"

Quick Background on what this issue is:

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/...repair-illegal

Now a farmer is taking Deer to the mat:

“The spirit of the right-to-repair is the birthright we all share as a hot-rodding nation,” he says, channeling his inner Thomas Jefferson and Big Daddy Don Garlits".

"Big Tractor says farmers have no right to access the copyrighted software that controls every facet of today’s equipment, even to repair their own machines".

The computer sees a problem and the entire tractor is bricked right then and there - often in the field until an authorized Deere Rep can arrive to fix it or haul it back to the dealer.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/featu...00-000-tractor

SO...What do you want to bet that with the newest electric car technology - GM will likely go full tilt in the near future with the kinds of intellectual control (“an implied license") the enforcement tactic of choice that Deer has in place today BTW all conveniently wrapped in the need for "safety" of course.

[67since67]

Originally Posted by 70 copo

Wayne,

John Deere... has decided to take on the farmers. Like Harley Davidson John Deere has made a calculated decision to show the people who buy, use and depend on its products "who is the boss"

Quick Background on what this issue is:

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/...repair-illegal

Now a farmer is taking Deer to the mat:

“The spirit of the right-to-repair is the birthright we all share as a hot-rodding nation,” he says, channeling his inner Thomas Jefferson and Big Daddy Don Garlits".

"Big Tractor says farmers have no right to access the copyrighted software that controls every facet of today’s equipment, even to repair their own machines".

The computer sees a problem and the entire tractor is bricked right then and there - often in the field until an authorized Deere Rep can arrive to fix it or haul it back to the dealer.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/featu...00-000-tractor

SO...What do you want to bet that with the newest electric car technology - GM will likely go full tilt in the near future with the kinds of intellectual control (“an implied license") the enforcement tactic of choice that Deer has in place today BTW all conveniently wrapped in the need for "safety" of course.

I happen to live within ten miles of the Deere engine plant, Product Engineering Center where Deere tractor development happens, and the factory that builds the largest Deere tractors that are shipped world-wide.
I am also connected to the farming community. There is a push-back of sorts going on from the smaller farming operations (under 3,000 acres) against this technology, it's cost and related inconvenience. There is a surge in values and sales of older pre-computerized tractors and equipment. 40 year old tractors, Deere 4440 and such, are in high demand because of their dependability, relatively low cost and ease of maintenance. On the other hand, the new several hundred thousand dollar tractors continue to sell also.

Bill W

[70 copo]

So for you future electric Hot Rodding guys, here is your likely future as an "outlaw" hot rod hacker

Tractors today....cars tomorrow just saying:

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/x...inian-firmware

[Charley Lillard]

The new electric cars can go so fast already I'm not sure how much hotrodding will be needed anyway. :-)

[BCreekDave]

Originally Posted by Charley Lillard

The new electric cars can go so fast already I'm not sure how much hotrodding will be needed anyway. :-)

I remember my Dad saying that about my Camaro.