Can you drive an electric car through a flood
Discussion
Currently living in Somerset and having lots of fun trying to get to work through all the floods.
Having an old Skoda, that coughs and splutters at the thought of going through water I got to thinking about the best type of vehicle to wade through the floods.
knowing the main problem is water getting into the engine, I got to thinking of electric cars.
True there's nothing mechanical to stop them going through floods, but are they like watches "water resistant" up to a certain height ?
Having an old Skoda, that coughs and splutters at the thought of going through water I got to thinking about the best type of vehicle to wade through the floods.
knowing the main problem is water getting into the engine, I got to thinking of electric cars.
True there's nothing mechanical to stop them going through floods, but are they like watches "water resistant" up to a certain height ?
Ozzie Osmond said:
Captain Muppet said:
They will have wading depth as part of the design spec.
....just like the BMW and Peugeot I saw drowned in a flood a couple of days ago.I imagine a big electrical short could prove "interesting" to say the least!!
It's not usually water getting into the engine per se that stops cars initially but water on the electrics particularly petrol cars that have HT leads, coils etc, combined with people being thick of course, and that stalls the car then it gets flooded, literally.
If you wade properly you form a vacumn under the engine bay and even though water is above the lights there is a pressure difference in the engine bay which keeps the water out, stop and you are fooked!
If you wade properly you form a vacumn under the engine bay and even though water is above the lights there is a pressure difference in the engine bay which keeps the water out, stop and you are fooked!
Ozzie Osmond said:
kambites said:
I don't think it's beyond the wit of man to fit one of these new fangled "fuse" things within the waterproof battery pack. 
Once that battery pack is under water you'll need more than a "fuse"!There was this incident recently:
http://updates.jalopnik.com/post/34669789863/more-...
Though subsequent investigation by Fisker suggests that one of them caught fire and set fire to the rest, and that the fire originated in the front of the car, where the petrol engine is.
Seems to me that any car which has been immersed in salt water is likely to be a write-off whether it caught fire or not.
http://updates.jalopnik.com/post/34669789863/more-...
Though subsequent investigation by Fisker suggests that one of them caught fire and set fire to the rest, and that the fire originated in the front of the car, where the petrol engine is.
Seems to me that any car which has been immersed in salt water is likely to be a write-off whether it caught fire or not.
GTIR said:
....
If you wade properly you form a vacumn under the engine bay and even though water is above the lights there is a pressure difference in the engine bay which keeps the water out...
I hope not! A vacuum would suck the water into it. Its the process of forcing the car through the water that produces the bow wave and subsequent lower water level behind.If you wade properly you form a vacumn under the engine bay and even though water is above the lights there is a pressure difference in the engine bay which keeps the water out...
GTIR said:
It's not usually water getting into the engine per se that stops cars initially but water on the electrics particularly petrol cars that have HT leads, coils etc, combined with people being thick of course, and that stalls the car then it gets flooded, literally.
If you wade properly you form a vacumn under the engine bay and even though water is above the lights there is a pressure difference in the engine bay which keeps the water out, stop and you are fooked!
IBTE If you wade properly you form a vacumn under the engine bay and even though water is above the lights there is a pressure difference in the engine bay which keeps the water out, stop and you are fooked!
kambites said:
Ozzie Osmond said:
kambites said:
I don't think it's beyond the wit of man to fit one of these new fangled "fuse" things within the waterproof battery pack.
Once that battery pack is under water you'll need more than a "fuse"!Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff