Heat is now on EV makers, after battery fires

In this Feb. 13, 2020 file photo a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV is displayed at the 2020 Pittsburgh International Auto Show in Pittsburgh

FIRST, Hyundai Motor Co made headlines about its electric cars catching fire. Five days later, it was General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co. The next day, it was BMW AG.

Vehicles going up in flames aren’t new to the electric era. An estimated 171,500 took place annually in the US alone over a recent three-year period, and cars powered by the combustion of gasoline are plenty prone to catching fire.