Electric vehicles are less likely to catch fire than gas-powered vehicles. However, when they do catch fire, their battery fires are slightly different and can take a very long time to extinguish.
And they can also reignite if not properly extinguished. Fires in parking garages or underground garages also pose a massive problem.
A British company has therefore built a special fire engine called the HILOAD 6×6 Rapid Intervention Vehicle (RIV), which was developed for extinguishing electric car fires. The HILOAD fire truck is also designed to better reach and extinguish fires in parking garages.
Electric car fire is a massive problem in parking garages
“Among other equipment that can be transported thanks to the increased payload, the HILOAD can be equipped with the Coldcut Cobra system for extinguishing fires in electric vehicles.
The Cobra Ultra High Pressure Lance (UHPL) system uses an abrasive suspended in water to pierce a hole through the floor pan and inject water at 300 bar – more than 100 times the air pressure in a typical car tire – throughout the module housing. This water cools directly inside the battery, preventing its spread and the further possibility of thermal runaway.
Unlike alternatives that pump thousands of liters of water into the vehicle to cool the entire battery, independent testing by the Swedish Civil Protection Agency has shown that the Coldcut Cobra system can stop cell proliferation within 10 minutes, And that with just 240 liters of water – that’s less than a bathtub full and 20% of the HILOAD’s tank capacity.”
The HILOAD 6×6 RIV is being tested in England, but is currently being tested in pilot projects in the Czech Republic.
The challenge of firefighting in electric vehicles
EV firefighting presents some specific challenges for firefighters. Among other things, EVs are equipped with high-voltage batteries that store a significant amount of energy.
In the event of a fire, these batteries can react and pose additional hazards such as thermal runaway or chemical leakage. Firefighters must have the knowledge and equipment to deal with such situations.
Batteries can react in the event of an e-car fire
There is also a risk of electric shocks: In the event of a fire, there is a risk of electrical short circuits or uncontrolled current delivery. Firefighters must be careful not to come into contact with live parts and protect themselves and others from electric shocks.
In addition, special extinguishing agents must be used because conventional extinguishing agents such as water and foam are not always effective in electric vehicle fires. Lithium-ion batteries, for example, require special extinguishing agents that are based on chemical reactions and that the fire brigade must use accordingly.