‘Do not leave them plugged in when you go to sleep’: Expert says electric cars are too great of a fire risk. Is she right?
Electric vehicles have long been touted as the safer, eco-friendly future of transportation, but one viral TikTok video has ignited debate over whether they're also a hidden fire risk.
In the viral video, which has amassed over 2.5 million views, TikTok user Jessica Rush (@unhingedreviewswjess) shares fire safety tips she learned as the “wife to a firefighter of 17 years.”
She lists several common fire hazards found in homes, from bathroom exhaust fans to dryers, and yes—electric cars. "Electric vehicles, just don't have one," she states in the video. "Their fires are extremely hot, extremely toxic, and impossible to put out."
Viewers say the EV fires claim is 'a little misleading'
However, many users in the comments section quickly challenged this assertion, with one commenter stating, “Electric cars are safe, don’t worry.”
"EV cars have like .0012% chance of catching on fire. Cars with actual combustion engines are way more likely to catch fire," another commenter pointed out.
“Appreciate most of this info, but the electric vehicle one is a little misleading!” a third commenter remarked.
“I trust my experience more than whatever data point they are telling me bc they want us to buy more EV,” one argued.
@unhingedreviewswjess It has come to my attention that more people don’t realize all of the fire hazards in their home. 1. Exhaust fans 2. Battery fires 3. Electric Vehicles 4. Kitchen/Grease Fires 5. Self-Clean Feature 6. Candles 7. Dryer 8. Plug-in Air Fresheners 9. Expired Smoke Detectors #creatorsearchinsights #firefighter #tipsforhomeowners #homeowner #newhome #homeimprovement #fireman #diyproject ♬ original sound - Jess
Data shows EVs have lower fire risk than gas vehicles
The data appears to support the critics. According to an AutoinsuranceEZ analysis, hybrid vehicles actually have the highest vehicle fire risk at 3,475 fires per 100,000 sales, while electric vehicles have just 25.1 fires per 100,000 sales. This puts EVs at significantly lower risk than both conventional gas vehicles (1,530 fires per 100,000) and hybrids.
However, EV fires do carry specific challenges for firefighters due to their high temperatures and potential for reignition “because EV batteries are essentially their own fuel source, they can burn for hours and be extremely difficult for firefighters to cool down,” the AutoinsuranceEZ article states.
The National Fire Protection Association has developed specific protocols for handling electric vehicle fires, and firefighters across the country receive specialized training for dealing with them.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Jessica Rush (@unhingedreviewswjess) via email for comment.
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