A large fire broke out this past weekend in the parking lot of the Rivian Normal, Illinois factory. The blaze damaged multiple electric vehicles that were waiting to be shipped to customers.
The new timeline for replacement cars and the cause of the fire are currently unknown, although fire personnel are investigating.
Rivian
Rivian is a new American company specializing in electric trucks and crossover vehicles.
The California-based company sought to create ultra-durable vehicles perfect for both offroad adventure and in-city commuting. Rivian currently offers a small selection of SUVs, pick-up trucks, and delivery vans. The company’s growth has recently surpassed the excitement of rival Tesla as Elon Musk’s personal stock has taken a dive.
Vehicles Damaged in the Fire
During the large blaze over the weekend, more than 50 R1S and R1T models were damaged that were waiting to be shipped to customers.
The Normal Fire Department quickly responded to the call on Saturday night, just before 9:45 pm. Thankfully, the plant that builds the upcoming R2 SUV was not affected by the fire, says NFD spokesperson Matt Swaney.
Aerial Footage
As of midnight on Sunday, the fire was officially put out by the fast action of crews on the scene. No injuries were reported in the incident.
An aerial photo was posted to a local Facebook group, showing 57 vehicles that were contained in a small corner of the factory parking lot. Only R1S and R1T vehicles were involved in the fire.
Customers Have a Sense of Humor
Thankfully, customers potentially affected by the fire have a good sense of humor about the situation, as it seems out of anyone’s control.
Thom Williams, a commentator on the Facebook post, said: “Just bought an R1S a couple weeks ago and last update I got was “it’s in Illinois about to be shipped. I hope that it’s still Forest Green and not Charred Black!”
EVs and Fire Claims
In the past few years as electric vehicles (EVs) have become increasingly popular, rumors have swirled that they are more prone to catching fire and that the lithium battery in the engine is almost impossible to extinguish.
However, several publications and official offices have debunked this idea. The Kelly Blue Book published data that shows EVs are actually less likely to be involved in fires than gasoline or hybrid-powered cars.
EV Fires Are Different
While electric engines happen to catch on fire less frequently, they do actually burn hotter and faster than gasoline fires.
Even so, both types of fires can be extinguished with traditional methods like water and fire extinguishers.
Water Is Unhelpful in an EV Fire
According to the International Association of Fire and Rescue Services, firefighters need to use roughly 40 times more water to put out a fire from an EV than a standard gas-powered car.
Some fire services across the globe have sounded the alarm on the unintended downside of clean vehicles.
Keep a Fire Extinguisher in the Car
Regardless of what type of car you drive, experts recommend carrying a small portable fire extinguisher in the car in case of emergency.
Small extinguishers can come in handy in the case of coming across a small bush fire, a camping emergency, or just a small engine fire than can be squashed before it spreads to the rest of the car.
Cause of Blaze Unknown
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. NFD spokesperson Swaney said that the investigation is still ongoing to discover the cause of the incident and find ways to mitigate future EV fires.
Fire investigators usually need a few weeks to be sure of the cause of the spark.
Other Rivian Fires
Unfortunately, this isn’t the fire Rivian fire that has been reported.
Last month, three Rivian Amazon Electric Delivery Vans (EDVs) caught fire at the company’s fulfillment center in Houston, Texas. However, the fire was deemed to be unrelated to the high-voltage battery, according to Rivian.
Possible Causes
Vandalism is one of the possible causes of the fire at the lot, and it wouldn’t be the first time that an EV lot was harmed at the hands of a hater.
In June, dozens of Tesla Cybertrucks were defaced with the words “Expletive Elon” in black spray paint.
