Fact 2246 — does a fuel tank explode when shot
AI-generated with OpenAI image generation. Prompt: “Photorealistic editorial cover for a science article correcting the movie myth that cars explode from one shot. A parked modern car in a quiet studio garage under neutral work lights, technician examining a fuel-system diagram on a tablet with no readable text, no weapons, no damage, no fire, no people identifiable, no logos. Educational documentary still life, portrait 4:5.”
The cinematic car explosion after a single shot exaggerates how predictable ignition is. A U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory report says the vapor space in gasoline tanks normally does not contain a combustible mixture. Ignition requires an appropriate fuel-vapor and air mixture plus an ignition source. Spilled fuel can still catch fire, so this does not make shooting at a vehicle safe.