4 electrical automobile (EV) fires occurred in Malaysia between January and September this 12 months, studies The Solar. That is based on Putrajaya hearth and rescue division hearth security division director Datuk Khirudin Drahman Hussain, who suggested EV homeowners to comply with the producer’s handbook to make sure protected operation and scale back the danger of fires.
“EV homeowners ought to keep away from overcharging, monitor charging periods and make sure that their autos aren’t uncovered to excessive warmth or particles. It could possibly take from 5 to 24 hours to completely extinguish an EV hearth, relying on the scale of the battery (kWh) and the hearth load concerned. As a consequence of thermal runaway, the excessive warmth and speedy deflagration course of make EV fires tough to extinguish with common ABC dry powder or water until the automobile is flooded with ice,” he mentioned.
Out of the 4 EV fires this 12 months, one occurred throughout charging, whereas three had been because of accidents. When thermal runaway happens, the battery pack overheats and ignites different cells, resulting in an intense and extended hearth that may launch giant quantities of warmth, poisonous gases and chemical fumes.
At current, water and a particular hearth blanket are used to cope with EV fires, though they solely serve to stop the hearth from spreading and to not extinguish it. It could possibly take a really very long time to place out an EV battery hearth experiencing thermal runaway, as evident by this case involving a Tesla Semi again in August.
Underneath the brand new hearth security tips, EV charging bays in Malaysia should have an EV hearth blanket at a strategic level or a fireplace command centre. Firefighters are additionally present process coaching and publicity to EV fires to learn to cope with them in addition to the additional precautions required, together with sporting full private protecting gear with a set of respiratory equipment.
Khirudin additionally famous that fires involving EV batteries can result in a vapour cloud explosion, with a 70% probability in basements or enclosed areas, finally producing extremely poisonous gases. “Regardless of frequent warnings about hearth risks, many individuals consider it’s a distant threat that solely impacts others. It’s necessary to be additional cautious and alert to stop potential incidents,” he mentioned.
In the meantime, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) automotive improvement centre director Dr Mohd Azman Abas mentioned EV battery applied sciences are necessary in minimising the danger of a hearth. “Whereas most electrical autos at present use lithium-ion batteries, which supply excessive vitality density and effectivity, they’re additionally extra inclined to dangers equivalent to overheating, which can lead to thermal runaway,” he defined.
The way in which a battery is designed and managed is necessary, with methods needing to make sure protected charging and discharging in addition to keep away from overheating, overcharging or brief circuits. He added that researchers are exploring the combination of synthetic intelligence (AI) to reinforce the system’s capacity to foretell and detect potential points.
Seeking to promote your automobile? Promote it with Carro.
