Taiwan’s electric bus spontaneous combustion incidents continue, Lin Junxian explodes: There are no investigation procedures and regulations

CNEWS Convergence News Network reporter Pan Yuqi/Reporting from Taipei

In order to achieve the 2050 net-zero emission target, the government plans to fully electrify urban buses in 2030. However, in recent years, there have been frequent fire accidents of electric vehicles. DPP legislator Lin Junxian pointed out at the Legislative Yuan Transportation Committee today (22nd) that electric vehicles Bus conditions are frequent, but there are still no relevant investigation procedures and regulations. At present, the total number of electric buses in the country accounts for about 10%. He called on the Transportation Safety Committee to quickly formulate relevant regulations to maintain passenger safety.

The Transportation Committee of the Legislative Yuan today invited Lin Xinde, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Investigation Committee, to attend and report on the business overview and prepare for questions.

Lin Junxian first pointed out that four days ago in Yongkang District, Tainan, an electric car suddenly caught fire and combusted while it was parked in the park; in October 2022, at the Tamsui Passenger Terminal in New Taipei City, the driver just started the car, and then smoke and fire broke out. The fire spread to a nearby bus; in March 2021, a fire suddenly broke out at the Taoyuan Passenger Maintenance Station. The fire started from the battery, and a total of 7 medium and large electric buses were burned.

Lin Junxian said that in response to the 2050 net-zero emission goal, the government plans to fully electrify urban buses in 2030. One electric bus will be subsidized with NT$10 million, with a target of 10,000 nationwide. The subsidy amount is as high as NT$100 billion. This is a major government policy. .

“But what is the cause of the electric vehicle fire? Will the National Security Council intervene in the investigation?” In response to Lin Junxian’s inquiry, Lin Xinde responded, “If there are more and more similar cases, our overlord clause will initiate an investigation.”

However, Lin Junxian raised questions because no electric vehicle has ever been investigated. Whether it is an electric vehicle or a general car, or the electric buses that will be subsidized in the future, the national target is 10,000 vehicles, and the usage will be higher and higher.

Lin Junxian pointed out that the National Sports Safety Council once visited the United States for an inspection and wrote in the inspection report that “in the future, accident investigation procedures and regulations for electric vehicles and self-driving cars will be established.” He said, “Taiwan’s current investigation procedures for electric vehicles? There is none, and there are no regulations.” In response to this, Lin Xinde immediately responded, “We need to work out it as soon as possible.”

In addition, Lin Junxian cited the investigation of the American Transportation Safety Board as an example. Even if an electric bus catches fire, an investigation will be launched even if there are no casualties. In a case investigation, it was found that if the electric bus battery system is exposed to moisture, it is easy to cause a fire. Therefore, the American Transportation Safety Board The safety committee requires that users be informed of how to extinguish a fire if the battery burns. He also said that even the American Transportation Safety Board requires manufacturers to provide information on safe fire fighting and vehicles.

Lin Junxian emphasized that the American Transportation Safety Board divides electric vehicles into general and special investigations. Special investigations include thematic investigations, including self-driving. However, the current domestic investigation procedures and regulations for electric vehicles are lacking; Lin Xinde admitted frankly, The above sections should indeed be expedited.

Photo source: Reprinted from Congress Channel

“More CNEWS Convergence News Network Reports”

[New energy hidden worries 3-3]Fire blankets to prevent electric vehicle fires need to withstand high temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius and have Kiwa certification

The personnel of the political commissar of the new cabinet are exposed. It is rumored that Lieutenant General Chen Shi will join the cabinet and Deng Zhenzhong will remain in office.

[Please indicate the source when reprinting the article]