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- A Danish man sparked a house fire after trying to use a toaster to warm his electric-car battery.
- No one was hurt in the fire, but it destroyed the EV and damaged a neighbor's house.
- Cold weather can damage an EV's fuel economy.
Toasters, they're great for warming up Pop-Tarts and bagels, but not so great for warming up an electric vehicle. In case you're wondering why not, a Danish man tried and is now paying the price — literally.
The man end starting a fire that engulfed his EV, according to Danish authorities.
"The cause of the fire is most likely to be found in the toaster that the owner of the car had placed under the front of his car to keep the battery warm," the police said in a daily report, according to AP.
The fire damaged both the owner's home and a neighbor's home, though nobody was injured, according to the authorities.
The fire took place in Stenlille, Denmark, which is about 40 miles from Copenhagen. Police determined that the fire was probably due to the toaster. Now, the EV owner has to pay a fine for his actions.
In most cases, electric vehicles are less likely to catch on fire compared to gasoline-powered cars. Only around 25 out of every 100,000 EVs sold catch fire, compared to 3,475 out of every 100,000 gas-powered vehicles, according to 2022 data from Kelley Blue Book.
EV fires typically only happen when there is damage to the EV battery, from water or a car accident, for example. When EVs do catch on fire, however, the blaze is more difficult to control compared to when a gas-powered car catches fire. EV batteries can overheat or over-pressurize, which can cause fires and explosions.
Your EV's mileage and efficiency can take a hit during the cold winter months. An EV's fuel economy can decrease by about 39-41% when temperatures lower to 20°F, according to the EPA and Energy Department. But that doesn't mean you need to sacrifice a kitchen appliance to keep your car warm.
In 2016, Argonne National Laboratory's Center for Transportation Research spoke to Business Insider about how to warm up your EV. It recommends plugging your car in before driving to prevent draining your battery. Many plug-in EVs also now have a smartphone app that lets you heat up your EV with the tap of a button.