As electric vehicles edge closer to mainstream adoption across Indonesia, the rise in enthusiasm has been met with an equal spike in speculation. From phantom zaps to flame-filled headlines, there’s no shortage of myths muddying the waters. But a recent EV fire in Bandung and a grim elevator explosion in Guangzhou have reignited these fears—despite having very different causes and contexts.
In Bandung on July 5, 2025, a Wuling Air ev unexpectedly ignited while cruising along Jalan Soekarno Hatta near the Moh Toha intersection. Smoke from the front hood triggered concern from a nearby motorist, who urged the driver to pull over. Within minutes, flames spread, and emergency services were called. Bandung’s Fire and Rescue team arrived swiftly, extinguishing the fire in under sixteen minutes. No casualties were reported. The cause? According to automotive analyst Yannes Martinus Pasaribu of ITB, water intrusion into the battery compartment likely triggered a short-circuit that led to thermal runaway—a phenomenon where heat builds uncontrollably within a battery. And while Wuling’s IP67-rated Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are designed to withstand water exposure, compromised sealing, sustained rain, or improper maintenance can make even strong systems vulnerable.
Meanwhile, flashback to 2021 in Guangzhou, where a man carried an e-bike battery into an elevator. Surveillance footage captured the battery suddenly combusting, engulfing the confined space in flames. The occupant was severely injured and tragically passed away weeks later. The internet buzzed with theories, but what mattered was this: it wasn’t an EV battery. It was a standalone lithium-ion pack—possibly modified, definitely handheld, and not built with the industrial-grade protections of vehicle battery systems. Chinese authorities responded by banning the transport of such batteries in elevators, especially in dense residential areas.
These incidents, while alarming, are not apples-to-apples comparisons. Electric vehicle batteries come with multi-layered safeguards: waterproof casings, thermal regulation, auto shutoff systems, and shock resistance. Fires are possible, but far less common than those caused by leaking fuel lines or engine heat in conventional cars. In fact, a 2023 study revealed internal combustion vehicles are nearly five times more likely to catch fire than EVs.
Fear often outpaces fact, and no technology is invincible. But misrepresenting edge cases as everyday risks only delays public acceptance and obscures the real issues: poor maintenance, unauthorized modifications, and disregard for safety protocols. Keeping a glass breaker keychain, as you do, is a nod to practical safety. But worrying about spontaneous electrocution from a parked EV? That’s a cinematic exaggeration.
In a region increasingly shaped by sustainability and innovation, electric vehicles offer a cleaner, quieter alternative. The next time someone equates them with ticking time bombs, remind them: the real danger doesn’t come from volts—it comes from ignoring science, safety, and the stories behind the headlines.
