<
https://thedriven.io/2025/08/20/councils-battle-disinformation-and-fears-of-self-igniting-evs-as-they-try-to-go-electric/>
"The high level of disinformation and misinformation remain consistent barriers
to the uptake of electric vehicles in Australia, but one local council was
astonished at the level [of] pushback from its employees when it introduced EVs
into its fleet for the first time.
The Wyndham City Council – one of a group of seven in the local region looking
to go electric – says council staff were initially fearful of “self-igniting
EVs” and toxic fumes, which made them hesitant to drive the electric vehicles
that the council had bought.
“Concerns about fire risks – such as battery fires and charger faults – are
common among council staff, including those supportive of the EV transition,”
the council writes in a Knowledge Sharing report that was a condition of its
funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
“These concerns, often amplified by misinformation, can lead to hesitancy from
operational teams, reduced uptake among users, and financial caution from
managers.”
It said it even occurred among staff who were otherwise generally supportive of
a transition to EVs.
“Key concerns include self-igniting EVs, faulty chargers or electrical systems,
thermal runaway of batteries, emergency response, toxic fumes, and the
potential for fire to spread to nearby assets,” the report explained.
“While these concerns are valid and require appropriate risk mitigation, their
likelihood is often exaggerated due to misinformation and disinformation.”
As a result of these concerns, there was reduced support from internal council
teams due to the perceived risk of EV fires to council property and staff
safety, and there was low uptake of EVs among council staff who were hesitant
to drive EVs due to concerns around their safety.
Wyndham City Council turned to information developed by EV Fire Safe, a private
company researching EV battery fires and emergency response to help address the
concerns, and to provide advice on safe charger placement and management, and
information regarding emergency response planning and raising general
awareness.
“The EV transition represents a significant shift for councils, and many
involved are navigating unfamiliar territory, full of misinformation –
particularly around fire risk,” the report says.
“Early engagement, clear roles and responsibilities, and visible executive
sponsorship are essential to build trust, foster shared ownership, and ensure
the transition is seen as a strategic priority rather than a niche initiative
driven by Sustainability teams.”"
Culture war propaganda taking advantage of people's fear of the new and
unfamiliar. We tend to (unwisely) discount risks we’ve already chosen to
accept, like driving around liquid fuel cars that are basically firebombs on
wheels and that catch fire far more than EVs do.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
