While EV fires happen less frequently than in traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, they pose very different challenges for first responders.
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00:00 Electric vehicles have been viewed as a possible route to achieving carbon neutrality.
00:04 They produce fewer emissions than fossil fuel-burning cars by using an electric battery to charge
00:09 their motors.
00:10 But there remains a looming question about EVs.
00:14 What happens in the case of a fire?
00:17 In July 2023, a lithium-ion battery caught fire on a cargo ship off the Dutch coast with
00:22 nearly 3,000 vehicles on board, killing one member of the crew and injuring several others.
00:28 And this year, the city of London has had more than 120 fires caused by EVs and e-scooters,
00:33 resulting in three deaths.
00:35 What's the problem?
00:37 Lithium-ion batteries can increase in temperature rapidly.
00:40 This phenomenon, called "thermal runaway," leads to fires that are hard to extinguish
00:45 and can spontaneously reignite.
00:46 A burning battery also emits a large amount of hydrogen fluoride that is dangerous for
00:52 humans.
00:53 Statistics show that EV fires happen less frequently compared to traditional internal
00:57 combustion engine vehicles.
00:59 But experts say EV fires pose different challenges for first responders.
01:03 As one of the European countries with the highest number of EVs, Sweden has been keen
01:08 to investigate the issue.
01:10 The new technology often involves new unknown risks, which means that learning from the
01:16 past events is extremely important for us, especially when things are quite new.
01:23 Even over the years, we have produced reports, studied, guided in a number of areas where
01:30 we found that we had a lack of knowledge.
01:33 In 2023, this Swedish agency cooperated with extinguisher manufacturers and the automotive
01:39 industry to demonstrate an efficient method for extinguishing fires caused by lithium-ion
01:44 car batteries.
01:45 One method uses a thermal imaging camera to determine areas of high temperature, known
01:50 as hot spots, as well as a safe distance from where operators can intervene.
01:54 Cobra operator then will apply the lance actually directly onto the chassis of the car and then
02:02 inject a small mix of abrasive sand with water to make a small hole in the module.
02:10 This allows us to put ultra-high pressure water within the module at 300 bar and that
02:16 water is able then to move around the modules to cool them.
02:21 And this is the most effective way and simplest way of getting water into the battery pack.
02:25 So we're not piercing the modules themselves, we're basically using water to access the
02:31 module component.
02:32 Other novel methods are being explored in European countries to extinguish EV fires.
02:37 Fire departments in Denmark and Belgium have used special fired extinguishing containers
02:42 to cool down the electric batteries of EVs in water.
02:46 The maritime industry is particularly vigilant about EV fires because they're costly for
02:51 the industry.
02:54 The Danish Institute of Fire and Security has investigated EV fires aboard ferries.
02:59 The biggest difference between an EV car fire and a traditional car comes when it is the
03:06 battery of the EV that burns and not the vehicle.
03:10 When the battery burns, they're typically underneath the vehicle and so the fire can
03:16 develop and spread from below.
03:20 Typically on ships and also in parking garages and other places, one would have an automatic
03:25 sprinkler system which comes from above and goes down.
03:29 And therefore, one of the most important things at a very early time is to provide cooling.
03:35 But really nothing comes down to proper training.
03:38 If you're trained, then you know what to do and hopefully you can safely handle a situation.
03:44 Another occasion where EVs pose a potential risk is when they're charged in an enclosed
03:48 space.
03:49 The European Commission has in 2023 established a task force to develop fire safety guidelines
03:55 for recharging infrastructure.
03:56 There is a good chance that the fire will spread to the proximity of other vehicles
04:01 because the toxic smoke remains in the space and because the structure of the building
04:05 itself may be damaged by the heat and because such fires are very difficult for fire services
04:10 to extinguish.
04:11 However, we are lacking data on fires involving electric vehicles.
04:15 This is where the European Union can play an important role by harmonizing statistical
04:20 methodologies for the collection and analysis of data on EV fires.
04:24 Like any other new technology, EVs come with their own set of challenges and risks.
04:30 Experts say developing new methods and guidance and training firefighters are the only way
04:34 to address fires in EVs.
04:37 Basically not one size fits all.
04:39 Every fire is different and it is important to do your homework.
04:44 You need the right tools and design to address new challenges, new risks.
04:50 Changing regulation can be cumbersome and time consuming and takes time.
04:57 So the technological development far outseats the speed at which new requirements can come.
05:03 So I believe it's really important to emphasize and do more research to better understand,
05:10 to again both find solutions but also to reassure and disprove maybe misconceptions and build
05:21 up the confidence and experience.
05:23 (upbeat music)