[topkai22]

From the MSN article linked below: “ UK-based shipowner Zodiac Maritime has since confirmed that the fire originated in the section of the vessel carrying electric vehicles.”

[whartung]

Is an EV with 2% charge in the battery any more or less prone to spontaneous combustion than one with 10%, 50%, or 100% of charge?

I'm under the assumption that these are roll on/roll off carriers and that cars themselves are driven on and off (so they have some level of charge or fuel).

I know that batteries (apparently) can "just catch fire", I just don't know what the risk of fire to charge capacity of the battery is.

[lazide]

Higher state of charge absolutely correlates with fire danger - there are physical mechanisms in play where highly charged lithium batteries can have dentritic shorts, for example, which cause thermal runaway almost immediately.

It’s a much higher risk during charging as that is when the structures typically form, but they can also be borderline and then ‘cross the border’ suddenly when just sitting there.

[SoftTalker]

It stands to reason (and simple physics/chemistry) that a fully-charged battery is going to burn more intensely than a depleted one. But as I undertstand it, Li ion batteries need a minimum "base" charge below which the battery can be damaged or become unable to be recharged (at least not by normal means). So I'd guess that like phones and other devices, they are shipped with roughly a 50% charge, allowing them to be driven on and off the ship and then on and off a truck before finally arriving at the retail dealership or other buyer's location.

[dboreham]

Higher than 80% is bad.