First a Chevy Volt caught fire after crash testing, then it came out that about 50 Fisker Karma battery cars may have a battery-clamp problem - electric-vehicle makers can be forgiven for getting a little hot under the collar.
Not so Nissan, however, which has pointed out that none of the two dozen Leafs (Leaves?) that were caught in the March tsunami in Japan caught fire afterwards - thanks, it says, to an airtight metal casing and two layers of insulation.
Director of product safety for Nissan North America Bob Yakushi said: “Considering how they were tossed around and crushed, we think that is a very good indication of the safety performance of the Leaf.”
The Leaf battery pack has an all-steel cover, as does the new Ford Focus Electric, while the Volt battery pack is mounted in a T-shaped steel tray with a plastic cover.
But GM's Robert D Peterson says the Volt's battery is “fully encased by the steel floor pan or rails” - and anyway, the plastic cover doesn't conduct electricity, which is a safety feature in itself.
But that doesn't seem to be the problem; the short circuits and subsequent fires in both the Volt and the Fisker Karma were apparently caused by coolant leaks.
Does the Volt need a new battery pack? GM senior vice president for global product development, Mary Barra, says “if we have to do something we will”, but insists that the Volt was “fully developed” before it was launch.
We can't help wondering how many they crash-tested.