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Lithium-ion battery fires in electric vehicles : The Indicator from Planet Money Lithium-ion batteries—used in everything from smart phones and laptops to electric scooters and cars—are catching fire on land and at sea. A former cargo ship captain walks us through why these fires are so hard to put out and why ocean-going car carriers are particularly at risk.

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The Indicator from Planet Money

Batteries are catching fire at sea

Batteries are catching fire at sea

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Feb. 18, 2022, smoke billows from the burning Felicity Ace car transport ship as seen from the Portuguese Navy NPR Setubal ship southeast of the mid-Atlantic Portuguese Azores Islands. (Portuguese Navy via AP, file) Portuguese Navy via AP/AP hide caption

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Portuguese Navy via AP/AP

Feb. 18, 2022, smoke billows from the burning Felicity Ace car transport ship as seen from the Portuguese Navy NPR Setubal ship southeast of the mid-Atlantic Portuguese Azores Islands. (Portuguese Navy via AP, file)

Portuguese Navy via AP/AP

Lithium-ion batteries—used in everything from smart phones and laptops to electric scooters and cars—are catching fire on land and at sea. We talk with a former cargo ship captain about why these fires are so hard to put out and why ocean-going car carriers are at particular risk.

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For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.