Why EV Fires Pose Unique Challenges to Firefighters

Combating battery electric vehicle (BEV) fires poses several new challenges for firefighters due to the energy-dense battery packs that power electric cars. EV fires burn much hotter than regular fires and require several times more water to put out, making them a harrowing experience for any firefighter who has come face to face with a combusting electric car.

Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle fires are already quite destructive. Still, an EV fire has the potential to cause significantly more property damage as it is a lot harder to put out. On average, an EV fire burns at a whopping 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit while an ICE fire burns at around 1,500 degrees. Additionally, an electric car fire requires 25,000 to over 100,000 gallons of water to put out compared to just 500 to 1,000 for an ICE vehicle fire, making them incredibly challenging to deal with.

Since conventional firefighting strategies are ineffective against electric vehicle fires, the average firefighter is extremely unprepared to respond to an EV fire, especially if it is located in urban regions where the fire can spread to infrastructure and other cars.

EV battery packs are largely to blame for the intensity of EV fires. The average EV battery pack contains hundreds to thousands of individual lithium-ion battery cells housed in a robust protective shell. Once a battery pack catches fire, throwing water on it isn’t enough to put it out as the protective shell encasing the batteries acts as a barrier against the water.

Firefighters in Chesterfield County recently faced the terror of a difficult-to-extinguish electric vehicle fire and spent an intense three hours working to put the flames out. Their efforts were ultimately successful, but the ordeal underscored just how complex fighting EV fires is. To equip their staff with the skills they need to combat EV fires now and in the future, several firefighting departments across the country have been providing intensive specialized training since 2020.

This training works to improve the patience and precision, skills that are critical to putting out EV fires. As the Chesterfield County fire showed, fighting an EV fire is a time-consuming and complex process that can take several hours to complete. Battalion Chief Rich Grassel says that in some cases, letting the fire naturally burn itself out is the most eco-friendly way of dealing with EV fires. However, this strategy’s deployment is dependent on key factors like where the fire is located and whether there is any potential fuel within the fire’s vicinity.

Virginia has already mandated statewide electric vehicle fire training and states like California, which are home to a large portion of the country’s EV fleet are likely to require such training in the near future. The Chesterfield County Firefighting Battalion is among the groups that have received specialized EV fire training emphasizing patience and precision.

Players in the EV space, such as ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp. Ltd. (NASDAQ: SOLO), need to work towards coming up with ways to modify battery chemistries so that any fire that breaks out is easier to contain and doesn’t cause extensive damage.

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