06.1 - Electric Vehicle Safer Charging System to reduce battery fire risk
Does EV charging increase the risk of battery fire? How can strata, body corporate, workplaces, shopping centres, councils, commercial and industrial sites make their EV charging hubs safer from the risk of battery fire?
While we can't totally remove battery fire risk, EV FireSafe has developed a sensible, data-driven Electric Vehicle Safer Charging System (EVSCS).
But first, some data; how many EV fires occur connected to EV charging?
Global data, including our own research, clearly indicates that electric vehicle battery fires (known as thermal runaway) is far less likely to occur than fires in internal combustion engine vehicles.
Around 15% of all EV battery fires we've been able to study and verify, occur while the EV is connected to charging.
However, an undamaged, normally operating, road-registered, plug-in electric vehicle, connected to an electrically compliant charging unit that has been installed to relevant wiring standard/s by a qualified person, CANNOT cause a EV battery fire.
As an example, in Australia, charging units should meet:
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Electrical compliance - the charging unit has the RCM Tick
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The unit is installed to ASNZ3000 App P
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By a qualified electrician
but you should check the regulations for your country or region.
If that's the case, why do charging-connected EV fires happen?
Where our research can identify cause, charging-connected EV battery fires occur due to:
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Previous damage to the EV battery pack
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Submersion in salt flood water (natural disasters)
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Battery cell or pack faults during manufacturing
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Poor charging practices
Why is EV charging being banned or removed from some buildings?
Recently, a high profile EV battery fire in an apartment building led to a small number of companies or sites to ban or remove EV charging.
These measures are often taken without contextual data, or understanding of the safety systems of EVs and charging units.
Additionally, EV battery fire research and testing is lagging behind charging roll out, so emergency responders don't yet fully understand the hazards involved when managing a charging-connected incident.
How can we reduce the risk of EV battery fire at charging sites?
Despite these challenges, EV charging is being rapidly deployed to support fleet electrification.
To support the safer roll out of EVs and charging, we've created the Electric Vehicle Safer Charging System (EVSCS). The purpose is twofold; to raise awareness of EV battery fire risk based on real-world data, and to mitigate risk through sensible, low-cost actions.
The EVSCS provides contemporary data and resources for anyone installing EV charging, including:
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Strata and Body Corporate
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Apartment Living EV Owners
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Shopping Centres
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Automotive Dealerships
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Workplaces
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Commercial and Industrial Site Managers
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Fleet Managers and Drivers
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Government Fleets
EVSCS resources are useful when working with your:
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Building Surveyor
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Fire Engineer
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Fire Agency and local Fire Brigade
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Insurance Company
Please note, the EVSCS is NOT designed to replace or override advice provided by these entities listed above.
How we support safer charging:
There are three ways to work with our team:
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EV Safer Charging System: A general step-by-step process anyone can follow, delivered online
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Engagement with our consulting team: Personalised 1 or 2 hour internal webinar with two of our team and/or a site visit, risk assessment and report (recommended for specialist EV fleets)
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Free resources
The EV Safer Charging System
The EVSCS supports safer EV charging sites, with access to data and resources in a self-guided online course or via one of our regular webinars.
Are you concerned about EV battery fire risk at your building or carpark charging site, or getting push back from a tenant, landlord, engineer or insurer?
This easy-to-follow Electric Vehicle Safer Charging System provides complete access to the data and resources you need to raise your EV battery fire awareness and reduce fire risk.
The course is self-guided or via regular webinars, and includes access to:
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Safer Charging Checklist
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EV Safety at Charging Sites poster
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Placarding and Signage
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Pre-Incident Plan Template for EV Charging Sites
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EV Emergency Response Plan
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EV Charging Weekly Maintenance Plan
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EV Charging Annual Maintenance Plan
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Lithium-ion Battery Fire Awareness poster
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EV Battery Fire Awareness poster
The course is recommended for places where EV charging is available to the public, strata, council, commercial or industrial EV charging sites.
The EVSCS is hosted at our dedicated training platform, www.evfiresafe.training
Please note: These resources CANNOT be edited (other than adding your company logo), copied or reproduced in any way.
Consulting engagement
Reduce your risk of battery fire at smaller EV charging site with these resources.
These are freely available resources:
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Download and follow the Australian Building Code Board EVs in Buildings guidance
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Once your site is operational, download, print and install our EV Safety at Charging Sites poster*, to raise site and driver awareness and reduce risk
Suitable for any commercial, strata or private home EV charging site where owners are concerned about EV battery fire risk.
Please note: EV FireSafe's EV Charging Site Safety Poster CANNOT be edited (other than adding your company logo), copied or reproduced in any way.
Free resources for safer EV charging
Reduce your risk of battery fire at smaller EV charging site with these resources.
These are freely available resources:
-
Download and follow the Australian Building Code Board EVs in Buildings guidance
-
Once your site is operational, download, print and install our EV Safety at Charging Sites poster*, to raise site and driver awareness and reduce risk
Suitable for any commercial, strata or private home EV charging site where owners are concerned about EV battery fire risk.
Please note: EV FireSafe's EV Charging Site Safety Poster CANNOT be edited (other than adding your company logo), copied or reproduced in any way.
