lithium

Flooding from saltwater in South Jersey has caused electric vehicles to catch fire, as saltwater can short-circuit lithium-ion batteries and trigger fires hours or days after inundation. Local coverage is highlighting the danger and prompting warnings to EV owners in flood-affected areas.

A growing shift toward LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries is changing how buyers evaluate electric vehicles. Unlike other lithium-ion chemistries, LFP offers lower cost, longer cycle life and better tolerance for regular charging, though with trade-offs in energy density and cold-weather performance. As more automakers adopt the chemistry in mainstream models, battery type is becoming a central consideration alongside range and price when shopping for an EV.

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD plans to launch its first car powered by a solid-state battery in 2027. Solid-state batteries promise greater energy density, faster charging and improved safety over today's lithium-ion cells, and automakers worldwide are racing to bring them to market. BYD's timetable puts it among the frontrunners in the next generation of EV battery technology.