How safe are battery-electric vehicles in the event of a fire? The electric mobility team at NOW GmbH has evaluated recent studies. The brochure ‘Fire safety of battery-electric cars’ (‘Bandsicherheit batterieelektrischer Pkw’) provides answers to the most important questions regarding the fire behaviour, fire protection, extinguishing and parking of electric cars. Illustrations vividly explain what happens during a thermal runaway, how a battery pack is constructed and the operational tactics of fire brigades when dealing with electric vehicle fires.
Dagmar Fehler, CEO and Spokesperson for NOW GmbH: ‘The myth that e-cars are more likely to catch fire than petrol or diesel vehicles persists. But this is simply not true. According to data from Norway, the UK and the US, battery-powered electric cars do not catch fire more often than conventionally powered cars. Our publication translates current research results into practical knowledge, thereby strengthening confidence in electric mobility.”
At a glance:
- The fire load of battery electric cars and those with a combustion engine is comparable – the plastics built into the car represent a higher fire load than a full tank or a fully charged battery. Should the traction battery be involved in the fire, an increased demand for extinguishing water and a longer extinguishing time may be expected.
- Mandatory type approvals and main inspections ensure a high level of safety. The harmonised UN/ECE regulation R 100 defines special requirements for electric vehicles.
- Fires of battery-electric cars can be fought by the fire brigades under various conditions, as well as in tunnels or garages. In addition to extinguishing the fire, it is important to cool the battery to prevent thermal runaway and thermal propagation. Water is suitable as an extinguishing agent due to its good cooling effect, but the amount of water and the duration of extinguishing are crucial.
- In general, the legal requirements for the traction batteries of electric vehicles are very high. LFP cells have an even higher fire safety than NMC or NCA cells. Future battery technologies such as lithium-ion-based solid-state batteries or sodium-ion batteries can further increase safety.
To the (German language) brochure: Download now
Online seminar on the topic ‘Fire safety of electric cars’
on 12 December 2024 | 10:00-10:45 a.m.