Published April 11, 2012
By Huw Evans
At approximately 8:45 this morning, residents of the Detroit suburb of Warren, Mich. heard the sound of an exploding battery coming from the nearby General Motors Technical Center.
A fire then followed at the Alternative Energy Center located on the technical center campus. Local news stations reported one person was chemically burned, taken to hospital, and will be held overnight in the hospital for observation.
As to the cause, GM said engineers had been working on a prototype battery system and were in the process of testing it. At the time of this posting, much is still unknown, though it is believed the explosion originated with some kind of chemical reaction gone awry.
A statement issued by GM said the incident was unrelated to any production vehicle, including the Volt, and the experimental battery itself did not explode.
“Chemical gases from the battery cells were released and ignited in the enclosed chamber,” GM said in a statement. “The battery itself was intact.”
With the GM Technical Center hosting advanced engineering and design groups, there’s a high level of security to prevent trade secrets from leaking out. While it may prove an advantage for GM and its employees, for rescue services, it can prove an obstacle due to the number of restricted entry points and locked doors.
Nevertheless, steps have been taken to minimize the impact of any disasters on campus; GM and local fire authorities having already staged mock fire drills. As a result, during real incidents like the battery lab fire, emergency response proved fairly quick and effective; firefighters were on site less than 10 minutes after the explosion occurred.
“We’re happy with how it’s gone,” McAdams said.
As the dust begins to settle, the rumor mill is nonetheless spinning once again. The Alternative Energy Center is where GM develops lithium-ion battery systems for hybrids and electric cars, including the Chevy Volt.
No doubt the incident’s timing was unfortunate for GM so soon after the highly publicized federal Volt fire investigation, and some observers will try to put together the dots to further cast doubt on battery safety.
But industry analysts have said the mishap was an outcome of attempting to push technology to the limits in the search for improved power and range for automotive batteries.
“They are stretching the envelope,” said Edmunds.com analyst Michelle Krebs to the Detroit Free Press. “Everybody’s trying to get a breakthrough. They’re dealing with new volatile materials and new ways of doing things that haven’t been done before.”
Detroit Free Press
