Firefighting Techniques for Electric Vehicle Fires

author: FutureCar Staff    

Recent news articles have highlighted several instances of electric vehicle fires, such as a detached electric vehicle (EV) battery catching fire at Sydney Airport and a Tesla lithium big-battery fire at the Bouldercombe energy park in Queensland. However, when an EV battery catches fire, firefighters face unique challenges that require a specialized approach.

According to firefighter Emma Sutcliffe from EV Fire Safe, extinguishing a fire in a petrol or diesel car is relatively straightforward due to firefighters' extensive experience with these types of vehicles. In contrast, electric vehicles present a new set of challenges. Sutcliffe explains, "We've been doing that now for 100 years – firefighters have been doing that for ages, so we know what to do. Electric vehicles are new."

Sutcliffe emphasizes that time is a crucial factor when dealing with an EV battery fire. While firefighters can typically extinguish a petrol or diesel car fire in about 20 minutes, batteries can burn much slower and require a longer period of management. "In an electric vehicle, you might have 7000 battery cells, and there's a domino effect that occurs. So, it can take a long time to manage that incident. Typically, the rule of thumb is around three to five hours," says Sutcliffe.

When faced with an electric vehicle battery fire, firefighters must establish water early and ensure they have the necessary breathing apparatus and additional personnel. Sutcliffe mentions that there are ongoing global discussions regarding various approaches to managing these incidents. Some places with a higher number of electric vehicles have implemented skip bins filled with water, into which the car can be submerged.

Despite the challenges, Sutcliffe is actively involved in training other firefighters on how to handle electric battery fires. She acknowledges that the rapid advancement of technology has outpaced the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for managing electric vehicle fires. However, she reassures firefighters that information is available and that training and SOPs will be developed in due time.

Now, let's address an important question: How often do electric vehicle batteries actually catch fire, and is it more likely than with petrol or diesel cars? To find out, listen to the podcast Debunks.

FutureCar Staff