Lithium ion (LiIon) batteries used in our phones, tablets & laptops as well as larger applications like power tools are flammable. LiIons are flammable because their electrolytes are composed of a lithium salt dissolved in a flammable organic solvent. Obvious solution is a non-flammable organic solvent. Easier said than done. But such a non-flammable organic solvent has been identified, & testing is proceeding.
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/176527-first-nonflammable-lithium-ion-battery-will-stop-your-smartphone-car-and-plane-from-exploding
Having said all of the above, the LiIon cells at present used in electic vehicles (EVs) have a significantly different chemistry than that used in most other devices, including phones, tablets & laptops. Most importantly, LiIons used in EVs are much less flammable. / lithium-ion lithium ion lithiumion battery batteries most important modern technology grievous flaw highly flammable puncture lithium-ion battery charge discharge improperly pretty bad fire explosive explosion Boeing 787 Dreamliner grounded 2013 lithium-ion battery packs electrical fires mid-flight mid flight midflight explode exploding smartphone batteries research researchers researching University of North Carolina Chapel Hill say built nonflammable lithium-ion battery LIB incendiary explosive pressure seal sealed pressurized pressurised electrolyte charge-carrying charge carrying liquid between positive negative +ve -ve electrodes flammable lithium salt dissolved organic solvent solvents highly flammable manufactured very high level of quality penetrate pierce penetrated pierced Tesla Model S battery pack impale impaled burst into flames thermal runaway occurs thermal runaway /
