EV FireSafe
Enhancing safety for emergency responders at electric vehicle
traction battery fires
Electric vehicle vapour cloud explosions are very rare, but it's vital for all emergency responders to know the early warning signs of thermal runaway & understand the risk of explosion.
We look at the stats & case studies from around the world.
How many passenger electric vehicle battery fires have occurred globally? What percentage were connected to charging & what are the risk exposures for emergency responders?
Download our latest research snapshot.
Australia has an EV fire problem. It's not cars.
Light electric vehicles (LEVs) are an emerging fire risk to owners & emergency responders.
Internationally, low quality LEVs are causing millions of dollars of damage. But what's happening here in Australia?
What's inside an EV battery pack & why do they catch fire?
If you're an emergency responder, get ahead of EV technology by familiarising yourself with how battery packs are constructed, why they catch fire & the signs of thermal runaway with this short video.
As EVs become more common, responders will naturally see more involved in road traffic accidents. Isolating HV systems to the traction battery in a passenger EV makes the vehicle safer for responders to work around, particularly if extrication is required.
Here are the ways emergency responders can isolate HV systems in electric vehicles.
...our research into electric vehicle battery fires & emergency response has been awarded a second round of funding from the Australian Department of Defence!
This enables us to continue our work for another 18 months, take part in testing programs & continue to share knowledge with a global network of fire & emergency responders.
Thank you to everyone who has supported our work this far, we look forward to seeing you in 2023!
"...EV FireSafe is invaluable to those of us concerned with, and working in, lithium-ion battery safety. I have had frequent recourse to Emma for data and information on electric vehicle and battery energy storage incidents"
Professor Paul Christensen, Newcastle University
