Electrify America burns a Rivian down

[Jarico75]

Since we're talking about vehicle fires.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/06/business/ford-lincoln-fire-recall/index.html

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[LivingInKaos]

The CCS connector is locked by the vehicle, until the charging is stopped.

As @jjswan33 mentioned, if there was a fault somewhere allowing this, would be the only way. I was merely stating that that was about the only option for an external issue however highly unlikely.

 

[DuoRivians]

So much speculation upon speculation upon speculation. And social media having a field day too, slinging around blames everywhere.

Why can’t people just wait until we get more definitive answers/evidence?

Edit: worse are scumbags who are trying to use this as part of their narrative to push the Tesla adapter, without any evidence of what really happened here. JFC

 

[M00v0vr]

WELL OF COURSE BECAUSE NACS IS OPEN SOURCE.

We can add a USB hub and get even more functionality.

 

[Autolycus]

We can add a USB hub and get even more functionality.

Only if it supports Power Delivery.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Only if it supports Power Delivery.

USB version of this?
https://insideevs.com/news/466633/electric-ferry-26-plugs-dc-fast-charging/

 

[Ralph]

I've been charging exclusively at home since getting my truck 3/31. Saw an EA station yesterday and decided to stop in. Fairly well-to-do area, but two of the four chargers were completely down ("network error"), one was blocked, and the 4th wouldn't accept my credit card, and when it finally did it only charged for two minutes before giving a "vehicle error". Two minutes was just enough time to walk into the store and check the app... I nearly dropped my groceries to rush outside, expecting to see the worst (truck in flames, etc.). Fortunately nothing of the sort. Charger just failed at two minutes. ?

I still got charged for the two minutes, and called to lodge a ticket (for all the good it will do).

I saw the EA video where the CEO travels all the way across the country and was interested to try. Not a good first experience. Think I'll stick to charging at home. ?

I periodically test the only local EA charger; intending to be a little familiar should I actually *need* to use one.

So far, using a credit/debit card has never worked without calling the number on the charger. However using the EA app with the same card referenced works fine if I start by opening the app and selecting a charger. A better experience anyway.

You might try this at your charger......

 

[larrydallas]

Read this article while literally charging at an EA station for the first time to test it out before a long road trip. Of the 8 chargers I stopped at, all 8 were available and appeared working. My card was accepted first time and my R1S charged without issue. Test successful.

But don’t think I didn’t have an “oh, shit” moment when I saw the headline… ?

Doubt it’s a systemic issue, but would certainly like to hear the root cause when the investigation is completed.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I periodically test the only local EA charger; intending to be a little familiar should I actually *need* to use one.

So far, using a credit/debit card has never worked without calling the number on the charger. However using the EA app with the same card referenced works fine if I start by opening the app and selecting a charger. A better experience anyway.

You might try this at your charger......

Thanks! I was intending to do this, but figured I'd just swipe a card when I saw the reader. Seemed like it would be faster (in my head, anyway). They put a "temporary hold" on your account for $50 though. ?

Putting a card into the app for next time I feel daring enough to test. ?????????

 

[LevelHeaded]

The charge port is just a connector. It can't catch itself on fire

This is a bad take. Faulty “connectors” cause fire all the time. Such as outlets; the cause of many EV-related home fires.

But it’s just a connector!

 

[carsly]

Read this article while literally charging at an EA station for the first time to test it out before a long road trip. Of the 8 chargers I stopped at, all 8 were available and appeared working. My card was accepted first time and my R1S charged without issue. Test successful.

But don’t think I didn’t have an “oh, shit” moment when I saw the headline… ?

Doubt it’s a systemic issue, but would certainly like to hear the root cause when the investigation is completed.

8/8?! Wow, that's one heck of a streak.

I have only one EA station within a 25 mile radius and that one has four stalls. At least one dispenser is always broken (often it's two) and generally 1-2 of the working dispensers max out at under 80kw regardless of starting charge level. I have only seen >120kw once. That was in July 2022 before the ID.4's started appearing in droves and that was with a Polestar 2. At least in Central NJ, I would not recommend relying on EA.

YMMV

 

[Chewy734]

I hope that someone eventually reports what actually happened. All this speculation is killing me.

I’m curious how fast the fire spread, because most of the time when I’m charging away from home, my whole family is in the vehicle with me. I need to know if we’ve got time to evacuate if this ever happens to us. Do we need a fire extinguisher?

 

[DuoRivians]

I hope that someone eventually reports what actually happened. All this speculation is killing me.

I’m curious how fast the fire spread, because most of the time when I’m charging away from home, my whole family is in the vehicle with me. I need to know if we’ve got time to evacuate if this ever happens to us. Do we need a fire extinguisher?

Most likely, we’ll know a lot more within a week

 

[camaroz1985]

Arcing during disconnect is the most likely culprit here. It should have stopped with the push of the button (or the screen on the charger or in the vehicle), but we have all experienced how slow they are to respond, and removing quickly with worn connectors could have been all that was needed. I have seen this happen first hand on other OEMs (in a laboratory setting trying to replicate a failure). The user most likely dropped the connector when the arc occurred as they were jumping back.

So much speculation upon speculation upon speculation. And social media having a field day too, slinging around blames everywhere.

Why can’t people just wait until we get more definitive answers/evidence?

Edit: worse are scumbags who are trying to use this as part of their narrative to push the Tesla adapter, without any evidence of what really happened here. JFC

The problem is with transparency, or lack thereof. We can wait for a more definitive answer, but will probably never get it.

Let this be another reminder to carefully inspect the charger connector BEFORE inserting into your vehicle (same would apply to CCS or NACS). Look at the large power terminals for 1) foreign debris or objects (finger protection caps left behind from a prior unmating would be the most likely, though not only possibility), 2) evidence of prior arcing and damage (blackened or discolored pins, or melted areas on the terminals, or melted/pitted plastic around the terminals) and 3) deformed contact springs (would appear to be out of round when looking inside the terminal) which could cause lower contact forces resulting in elevated resistance, heat, and greater risk of arcing. Use the flashlight that Rivian so thoughtfully placed in the door. Also, take an extra 5 seconds to make sure the charger stops before attempting to unplug regardless of your chosen method to stop the charge. Even on your AC charging at home or public L2 chargers, depress the latch, and wait a couple seconds before unplugging.

At the least an arc is going to damage the inlet, requiring a replacement of the harness to repair, it could result in a fire as seen here (not saying it for sure is the culprit, but is most likely), and worst case could cost a life. It is not worth risking any of these to save 2-5 seconds.

 

[md2023]

I've been charging exclusively at home since getting my truck 3/31. Saw an EA station yesterday and decided to stop in. Fairly well-to-do area, but two of the four chargers were completely down ("network error"), one was blocked, and the 4th wouldn't accept my credit card, and when it finally did it only charged for two minutes before giving a "vehicle error". Two minutes was just enough time to walk into the store and check the app... I nearly dropped my groceries to rush outside, expecting to see the worst (truck in flames, etc.). Fortunately nothing of the sort. Charger just failed at two minutes. ?

I still got charged for the two minutes, and called to lodge a ticket (for all the good it will do).

I saw the EA video where the CEO travels all the way across the country and was interested to try. Not a good first experience. Think I'll stick to charging at home. ?

I mostly charge at home but on road trips have used EA chargers without incident or problem. It was a smooth, good experience all around.
I am interested in what happened here and hope that it is a rare/isolated case with an explanation that doesn't make me weary of using them in the future.

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