XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.politics.republicans, alt.computer.workshop
Can't blame them.
These EV are fire traps.
'Major Shipping Company Halts All Electric Vehicle Transport Over Fire
Risks'
<
https://www.autoblog.com/news/major-shipping-company-halts-all-electric-vehicle-transport-over-fire-risks>
'Matson, a major U.S.-based cargo shipping company, has announced an
immediate and indefinite halt to all shipments of electric vehicles
(EVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) across its entire maritime network,
citing rising concerns over fire hazards linked to lithium-ion
batteries. The decision affects routes between the U.S. mainland,
Hawaii, Guam, and Alaska, creating massive logistical headaches for both automakers and private owners trying to move EVs across the Pacific.
This unprecedented move follows a string of high-profile shipping fires—including the June 2025 loss of the Morning Midas, which sank
after a suspected battery-related blaze aboard its vehicle deck. Matson confirmed the decision in internal customer emails, noting the risk of
thermal runaway and the challenges of suppressing EV battery fires at
sea.
Why EV Fires Are Different
While EVs are statistically no more likely to catch fire than
gasoline-powered vehicles, the fires they do produce are significantly
more intense and difficult to extinguish. Lithium-ion battery packs are vulnerable to thermal runaway—a chain reaction that can produce extreme
heat, reignite after extinguishment, and emit toxic gases. This is what
doomed the Fremantle Highway in 2023, where over 3,000 cars, including
500 EVs, were lost to an uncontrollable blaze.
With vehicle decks packed tightly and often unattended mid-journey, a
single battery failure can quickly become catastrophic. For shippers
like Matson, the margin for error is effectively zero.
Mounting EV Adoption Meets Maritime Reality
The move arrives just as EV adoption in America gains momentum.
According to recent CDK Global data, over 607,000 new EVs were sold in
the U.S. during the first half of 2025, up 1.5% year-over-year—even amid
a wider market dip. Yet despite broader adoption, consumer hesitations
around EVs remain. A AAA survey in June revealed many Americans still
cite charging infrastructure, range anxiety, and long-term durability as reasons to hold off.
Ironically, repair data shows EVs are generally cheaper to maintain than
their combustion counterparts—but they also spend longer in the shop,
mainly due to parts shortages and specialist technician requirements.
Battery Tech Advancing…Just Not Fast Enough
Globally, battery technology continues to evolve. In China, a new EV
featuring a semi-solid-state battery offering 333 miles of range has
entered mass production—marking a potential turning point in range and charging efficiency. But the technology remains too expensive for
widespread adoption, and the risk of fires hasn’t been eliminated.
Until new standards emerge or fire suppression tech improves
drastically, shipping companies may be forced to limit—or even ban—EV shipments altogether. Matson says it will not resume transport of EVs or
PHEVs until “suitable industry-wide carriage and stowage protocols” are developed.
With regulators like the International Maritime Organization now under
pressure to act, this story could mark the beginning of a much broader reckoning for how the global supply chain handles electrification'
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)