Battery test explosion injures five at GM lab
Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News Europe
  • Automotive News China
  • Automobilwoche
AN-LOGO-BLUE
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Account
  • login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • Dealers
    • Automakers & Suppliers
    • News by Brand
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • China
    • Shift
    • Mobility Report
    • Special Reports
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • This Week's Issue
    • Working online to book COVID shots, office manager Billie Jean Pellet “typed so fast smoke came off the keyboard,” said dealer Earl Stewart.
      Dealership team hunts for vaccine
      Hope stalls for rebound in European auto sales
      Dana net income falls 53% in Q4
      Daimler hq Stuttgart web.jpg
      Daimler expects to recover production lost to chip shortage amid bullish outlook for 2021
    • Changan
      Huawei, battered by U.S. sanctions, plans foray into EVs, report says
      VW China
      Top VW China exec said to eye joining Renault as local CEO
      Geely to create separate EV business unit
      Valeo, Faurecia outperform China market in 2020
    • Detroit Aerial Panorama during sunset
      Developing future workers to fuel growth in mobility
      Getting around in Las Vegas often involves long waits for a crowded monorail ride, below, or taking escalators up and down to cross elevated pedestrian walkways along the Strip.
      Las Vegas offers best and worst in transportation challenges
      In pandemic environment, RV industry ‘roaring back'
      Where is transportation headed?
    • Aurora's latest acquisition would bolster capability to build lidar sensors at scale
      Electric vehicle recharger
      Consumers on the fence about EVs, J.D. Power says
      Joby
      Toyota's air taxi partner Joby to go public in $6.6 billion deal; firm hires Ford exec
      The Fisker Ocean electric vehicle on display
      Fisker to form EV partnership with Foxconn
    • Elon Musk interview
      Tesla’s Model Y, on sale since March, is a showcase of EV technologies competitors will benchmark.
      Technologies of Electrification
      Cadillac’s Lyriq EV will be unveiled Aug. 6.
      Future Product Pipeline
      A CALL TO ACTION
    • Dealer lots could stay emptier long term
      Toshihiro Mibe is a veteran powertrain engineer, which has put him in close contact with the challenges Honda is facing.
      A return to tradition in Honda's new CEO
      Va. dealers pivot on emissions rules
      By hook or by crook: Hyundai, Kia system goes down
    • Access F&I
    • Fixed Ops Journal
    • Marketing
    • Used Cars
    • Retail Technology
    • Sales
    • Best Practices
    • Dealership Buy/Sell
    • NADA
    • NADA Show
    • Automakers
    • Manufacturing
    • Suppliers
    • Regulations & Safety
    • Executives
    • Talk From The Top
    • Leading Women Network
    • Guide to Economic Development
    • PACE Awards
    • Management Briefing Seminars
    • World Congress
    • Aston Martin
    • BMW
      • Mini
      • Rolls-Royce
    • Daimler
      • Mercedes Benz
      • Smart
    • Fiat Chrysler
      • Alfa Romeo
      • Chrysler
      • Dodge
      • Ferrari
      • Fiat
      • Jeep
      • Maserati
      • Ram
    • Ford
      • Lincoln
    • General Motors
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • GMC
      • Holden
    • Honda
      • Acura
    • Hyundai
      • Genesis
      • Kia
    • Mazda
    • McLaren
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
      • Infiniti
    • PSA
      • Citroen
      • Opel
      • Peugeot
    • Renault
    • Subaru
    • Suzuki
    • Tata
      • Jaguar
      • Land Rover
    • Tesla
    • Toyota
      • Lexus
    • Volkswagen
      • Audi
      • Bentley
      • Bugatti
      • Lamborghini
      • Porsche
      • Seat
      • Skoda
    • Volvo
    • (Discontinued Brands)
    • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
      • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
      • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
      • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
      • KIA: 2021 K5
      • LEXUS: 2021 IS
      • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
      • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
    • Auto Shows
      • Detroit Auto Show
      • New York Auto Show
      • Los Angeles Auto Show
      • Chicago Auto Show
      • Geneva Auto Show
      • Paris Auto Show
      • Frankfurt Auto Show
      • Toronto Auto Show
      • Tokyo Auto Show
      • Shanghai Auto Show
      • Beijing Auto Show
    • Future Product Pipeline
    • Photo Galleries
    • Car Cutaways
    • Design
  • OPINION
    • Blogs
    • Cartoons
    • Keith Crain
    • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
    • Columnists
    • China Commentary
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send us a Letter
    • Gerry McGovern is right man to steer Jaguar reinvention
      Forget the Ford GT; Moray Callum's biggest hit is the aluminum F-150
      Nikon turns lens on auto factory, build quality
      Bosch_information_domain_computer web.jpg
      Bosch, Continental battle to supply the brain of the connected car
    • view gallery
      1 photos
      Chip Shortage
      Jaguar is about to undergo its fourth reinvention in five decades as owner Tata Group takes a second crack at shaking up a brand whose glorious past has rarely translated into a profitable present or sustainable future.
      view gallery
      9 photos
      Leo Michael Cartoons - Q1 2021
      Dealers hiring from hospitality sector
      view gallery
      1 photos
      Hospitality Hires
      view gallery
      1 photos
      No ICE, Please
    • Shifting gears away from the stick shift
      SEMA still a wonderful circus
      Penske still has plenty of races to win
      Ford's turn in the hot seat
    • February 23, 2021 | Reliability continues to soar
      February 16, 2021 | Apple looks to take bite out of automotive
      February 9, 2021 | ‘Super’ opportunity for automakers
      February 2, 2021 | GM is all-in on EVs but will consumers follow?
    • John DeMarco
      How to manage a downturn? Clues are in the data
      Cam Hitchcock
      Benefits remain clear for on-site used-car auctions
      Dave Versical
      The ad that has dealers fighting mad
      Dan Shine
      Optimism for the future despite crisis, change
    • Shanghai hints at how Chinese cities will pursue electrification
      How Tesla, GM transformed EV market in 2020
      Is sales recovery nearing an end?
      Beijing's uphill battle to boost EV sales
    • Taiwan Semicon microchips BB web.jpg
      Chip shortage shows need for new thinking
      Digital demands squeeze smaller auto retailers
      President Joe Biden’s move to electrify all government vehicles could push forward charging infrastructure development.
      Dealers aren't wrong to be wary of EV hype
      Economy needs assistance, but dealers do not
    • Buying EV without dealer is just easier
      Dealers are right to worry about EVs
      GM's move to EVs is move for stability
      Tundra engine may not be up to the job
  • DATA CENTER
  • VIDEO
    • AutoNews Now
    • First Shift
    • Special Video Reports
    • Weekend Drive
    • AutoNews Now: Nissan 'breakthrough' could lower emissions
      AutoNews Now: Most buyers still undecided on EVs, J.D. Power finds
      AutoNews Now: Biden tackles chip shortage with lawmakers, order
      AutoNews Now: Kia aims to disrupt 'staid' minivan segment with Carnival
    • First Shift: Tesla output in Calif. resumes after 2-day shutdown
      First Shift: Ford's Farley: 'We need to bring battery production to the U.S.'
      First Shift: Hyundai to replace EV batteries in $900M recall
      First Shift: Hyundai starts next-gen EV push with Ioniq 5 crossover
    • COVID, chips and checks: Sales headwinds and tailwinds for 2021
      N.J. dealer helps position peers for ‘electric revolution’
      DCH Millburn Audi
      'Finding the diamond in the rough': How 2020's No. 1 dealership retains talent
      Don Johnson Motors
      'Distinctive culture' cuts turnover, carves career paths at Wis. dealership group
    • Why the pickup is the auto industry's 'battleground'
      Carlos Ghosn's quest to restore his reputation
      Why Ford must execute to avoid 'deep trouble'
      Why Honda is 'locked and loaded' for 2020
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • Events
    • Awards
    • Congress Conversations
    • Retail Forum: NADA
    • Canada Congress
    • Europe Congress Conversations
    • Leading Women Conference
    • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
    • ANE Shift
    • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
    • Shift: The Future of Mobility (CES)
    • 100 Leading Women
    • 40 Under 40 Retail
    • All-Stars
    • Best Dealerships To Work For
    • PACE Program
    • Rising Stars
    • Europe Rising Stars
  • JOBS
  • AN Solutions
  • +MORE
    • Leading Women Network
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • In the Driver's Seat
    • Publishing Partners
    • Classifieds
    • Companies on the Move
    • People on the Move
    • Newsletters
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • RSS Feeds
    • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
    • Special Reports Podcasts
    • Daily Drive Podcasts
    • AAM
    • Gentex
    • Reputation.com
    • Ricardo
    • Ricardo
    • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
    • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
    • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
    • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
    • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
    • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
    • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
    • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
    • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
    • IHS Markit: Autonomous vehicles: Automotive and transportation disruption
    • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
    • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
    • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
    • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
    • Ally: Do It Right
    • DealerSocket
    • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
    • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
    • Guide To Economic Development
    • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Mobility Report
April 11, 2012 01:00 AM

Battery test explosion injures five at GM lab

Larry P. Vellequette
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    GM's sales gains in October are due mostly to product launches such as the new Chevrolet Equinox crossover, the Cadillac CTS sports wagon and the Buick LaCrosse sedan, Edmunds says.
    Global Battery Systems Battery Lab

    Alternative Energy Center, GM Technical Center, Warren, Mich.

    Timing:

    -- Battery system test area operational January, 2009

    -- Cell and module test area May, 2009

    Size:

    -- Total floor space: 33,000 sq. ft.

    -- 14,400 sq. ft. - pack testing and development

    -- 17,400 sq. ft. - cell and module development

    -- 2,000 sq. ft. - technical support

    DETROIT -- A battery explosion this morning in a General Motors research lab injured five people and caused a small fire along with other damage.

    Fire crews were called to the battery systems lab at GM's Warren Technical Center in Warren, Mich., at about 8:45 a.m. after a report of an explosion in the plant. Warren Deputy Fire Chief Gary Wilkinson said that when crews arrived they found a small fire and smoke in one of the labs.

    One of the employees sustained injuries and was transported to a Detroit hospital. Wilkinson said the injuries were not life threatening but had no further details.

    Four other employees were treated at the scene for minor injuries, Reuters reported.

    Wilkinson said a battery under extreme testing had exploded, causing the fire.

    The explosion caused a fire that was extinguished, Kevin Kelly, a GM spokesman, told Bloomberg.

    Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said he was told by Warren Fire Department officials that fumes from hydrogen sulfide caused an explosion inside a battery laboratory. A man who suffered a concussion and chemical damage to his skin was apparently outside a containment area where tests were being conducted on a prototype battery, Fouts said.

    "It was a major explosion," Fouts told Reuters. "At least one eight-inch (thick) door was blown out. What could have been a major catastrophic event was not so because of the quick work of the Warren Fire Department and GM officials."

    The explosion also blew out at least three windows and, according to Fouts, about 80 people in the building had to be evacuated.

    GM officials declined to comment on Fouts' statements.

    Report: Battery made by A123

    The Wall Street Journal, quoting an unnamed GM source, said the lithium ion battery being tested was being developed for a new line of all-electric cars and was made by A123 Systems Inc. An official from A123 was not immediately available for comment, the Journal reported.

    A123 Systems last month said it would replace battery packs made at its plant in Livonia, Mich. The company blamed a flaw in the manufacturing process that could cause its lithium ion batteries to fail. The Fisker Karma, which failed during a Consumer Reports driving test because of a battery problem, was among the vehicles supplied by A123.

    South Korea's LG Chem makes the lithium ion batteries used in the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt.

    There were reports of battery fires following two tests of the Volt last year. An investigation of those fires was initiated and later closed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

    GM expanded its current 33,000-square-foot global battery systems lab in 2009. The lab leads the automaker's research and testing of energy storage systems, including lithium ion batteries and ultracapacitors for extended-range electric, plug-in, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, according to a GM statement from that time.

    The research lab is equipped with 160 test channels and 42 thermal chambers to duplicate extreme real-world driving patterns, hot and cold temperatures and calendar life.

    Reuters and Bloomberg contributed to this report.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Aurora's latest acquisition would bolster capability to build lidar sensors at scale
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

     

     

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    Aurora's latest acquisition would bolster capability to build lidar sensors at scale
    Aurora's latest acquisition would bolster capability to build lidar sensors at scale
    Consumers on the fence about EVs, J.D. Power says
    Consumers on the fence about EVs, J.D. Power says
    Toyota's air taxi partner Joby to go public in $6.6 billion deal; firm hires Ford exec
    Toyota's air taxi partner Joby to go public in $6.6 billion deal; firm hires Ford exec
    Sponsored Content: Google Reviews 101
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    See more newsletter options at autonews.com/newsletters.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Digital Edition
    Automotive News 2-22-21
    THIS WEEK'S EDITION
    See our archive
    Fixed Ops Journal
    Fixed Ops Journal 2-8-21
    Read the issue
    See our archive
    MOBILITY REPORT NEWSLETTER: Sign up for our Thursday afternoon Mobility Report newsletter, your one-stop shop for the latest developments at the intersection of transportation and technology.
    WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: Sign up to start your week with the top stories from the latest issue of Automotive News, delivered to your inbox first thing each Monday morning.
    DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up to get the top stories of the day in your inbox every business weekday afternoon.
    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    Subscribe Today

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    Subscribe Now
    Connect With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    Our mission

    The Automotive News mission is to be the primary source of industry news, data and understanding for the industry's decision-makers interested in North America.

    AN-LOGO-BLUE
    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit, Michigan
    48207-2997

    (877) 812-1584

    Email us

    Automotive News
    ISSN 0005-1551 (print)
    ISSN 1557-7686 (online)

    Fixed Ops Journal
    ISSN 2576-1064 (print)
    ISSN 2576-1072 (online)

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • Subscribe
    • Manage your account
    • Reprints
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • NEWS
      • Dealers
        • Access F&I
        • Fixed Ops Journal
        • Marketing
        • Used Cars
        • Retail Technology
        • Sales
        • Best Practices
        • Dealership Buy/Sell
        • NADA
        • NADA Show
      • Automakers & Suppliers
        • Automakers
        • Manufacturing
        • Suppliers
        • Regulations & Safety
        • Executives
        • Talk From The Top
        • Leading Women Network
        • Guide to Economic Development
        • PACE Awards
        • Management Briefing Seminars
        • World Congress
      • News by Brand
        • Aston Martin
        • BMW
          • Mini
          • Rolls-Royce
        • Daimler
          • Mercedes Benz
          • Smart
        • Fiat Chrysler
          • Alfa Romeo
          • Chrysler
          • Dodge
          • Ferrari
          • Fiat
          • Jeep
          • Maserati
          • Ram
        • Ford
          • Lincoln
        • General Motors
          • Buick
          • Cadillac
          • Chevrolet
          • GMC
          • Holden
        • Honda
          • Acura
        • Hyundai
          • Genesis
          • Kia
        • Mazda
        • McLaren
        • Mitsubishi
        • Nissan
          • Infiniti
        • PSA
          • Citroen
          • Opel
          • Peugeot
        • Renault
        • Subaru
        • Suzuki
        • Tata
          • Jaguar
          • Land Rover
        • Tesla
        • Toyota
          • Lexus
        • Volkswagen
          • Audi
          • Bentley
          • Bugatti
          • Lamborghini
          • Porsche
          • Seat
          • Skoda
        • Volvo
        • (Discontinued Brands)
      • Cars & Concepts
        • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
          • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
          • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
          • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
          • KIA: 2021 K5
          • LEXUS: 2021 IS
          • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
          • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
        • Auto Shows
          • Detroit Auto Show
          • New York Auto Show
          • Los Angeles Auto Show
          • Chicago Auto Show
          • Geneva Auto Show
          • Paris Auto Show
          • Frankfurt Auto Show
          • Toronto Auto Show
          • Tokyo Auto Show
          • Shanghai Auto Show
          • Beijing Auto Show
        • Future Product Pipeline
        • Photo Galleries
        • Car Cutaways
        • Design
      • Coronavirus Coverage
      • China
      • Shift
      • Mobility Report
      • Special Reports
      • Digital Edition Archive
      • This Week's Issue
    • OPINION
      • Blogs
      • Cartoons
      • Keith Crain
      • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
      • Columnists
      • China Commentary
      • Editorials
      • Letters to the Editor
      • Send us a Letter
    • DATA CENTER
    • VIDEO
      • AutoNews Now
      • First Shift
      • Special Video Reports
      • Weekend Drive
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • Events
        • Congress Conversations
        • Retail Forum: NADA
        • Canada Congress
        • Europe Congress Conversations
        • Leading Women Conference
        • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
        • ANE Shift
        • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
        • Shift: The Future of Mobility (CES)
      • Awards
        • 100 Leading Women
        • 40 Under 40 Retail
        • All-Stars
        • Best Dealerships To Work For
        • PACE Program
        • Rising Stars
        • Europe Rising Stars
    • JOBS
    • AN Solutions
    • +MORE
      • Leading Women Network
      • Podcasts
        • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
        • Special Reports Podcasts
        • Daily Drive Podcasts
      • Webinars
      • In the Driver's Seat
        • AAM
        • Gentex
        • Reputation.com
        • Ricardo
        • Ricardo
      • Publishing Partners
        • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
        • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
        • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
        • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
        • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
        • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
        • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
        • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
        • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
        • IHS Markit: Autonomous vehicles: Automotive and transportation disruption
        • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
        • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
        • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
        • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
        • Ally: Do It Right
        • DealerSocket
        • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
        • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
        • Guide To Economic Development
        • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
      • Classifieds
      • Companies on the Move
      • People on the Move
      • Newsletters
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • RSS Feeds