[Fire Hazard Battery]③ Difficult-to-Extinguish Electric Vehicle Fires, Response Manuals Must Also Evolve

Shorter Golden Time for Structural Work than Internal Combustion Engine Cars
"Nationwide Campaign Needed to Promote Fire Action Guidelines"

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seoyoon] "Well, I’ve never heard about it... If an accident happens, you just die."

On the 21st, Mr. Lee, a taxi driver in his 60s operating an electric taxi in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, responded this way when asked if he knew how to respond to an electric vehicle fire accident. Electric vehicles have a shorter golden time for rescue operations compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. This is due to the so-called ‘battery thermal runaway’ phenomenon, where the temperature soars above 800 degrees Celsius within just 3 seconds of a collision. Because of the characteristics of lithium-ion batteries, once engulfed in flames, it becomes uncontrollable, making rapid initial response even more critical than for internal combustion engine vehicles. However, very few people know the action guidelines manual for electric vehicle drivers. As the supply of electric vehicles has surged recently and fire accidents have increased, voices calling for more education and promotion of response manuals are growing louder.

The automotive market research firm Kaizyu Data Research Institute announced that about 164,500 electric vehicles were sold domestically last year, a 64% increase in one year. During the same period, electric vehicle-related fires increased by 83% to 44 cases. Professor Kim Pilsoo of Daelim University’s Department of Future Automotive Studies said, "Although the number of electric vehicle fires is not high compared to internal combustion engine vehicles, considering that electric vehicles have been supplied for less than 10 years, this level of fire occurrence can be considered relatively high."

On the afternoon of the 7th of last month, a firefighter is extinguishing a fire on a Tesla vehicle at the Tesla Service Center in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. The vehicle owner had left the car at the service center for repairs when a fire suddenly broke out, prompting a call to 119.
[Photo by Seongdong Fire Station]

The pack that stores the electric vehicle battery is made of special steel. When a fire breaks out, it is not easy to drill holes from the outside and extinguish the fire with water. Extinguishing requires more water and manpower than for internal combustion engine vehicles. In fact, when an electric vehicle parked at the Tesla service center in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, caught fire suddenly last month, 27 firefighting vehicles and 65 personnel were dispatched, and it took 3 hours to barely extinguish the fire.

During the Tesla Model S fire in Texas, USA, in June 2021, it took 8 firefighters 7 hours to completely extinguish the fire. 106,000 liters of water were used, which is the amount a typical household uses in 2 years. According to Tesla’s emergency response guidelines, it takes 24 hours to fully extinguish a fire in a Model S battery, requiring 11,400 to 30,000 liters of water. For internal combustion engine vehicles, about 1,000 to 2,000 liters of water is sufficient for extinguishing.

Because it is difficult to put out once ignited, the key is to maximize the golden time for rescue to prevent casualties. To this end, there are opinions that the battery management system (BMS) should be mandated to expand the range of battery anomaly detection and warning functions and add a strong alarm function in case of fire.

The method to extinguish electric vehicle fires first involves using a 'smothering fire blanket' to cover the vehicle and cut off oxygen supply. Cooling extinguishing by injecting water intensively under the vehicle where the battery is located to lower the temperature is also effective. Methods such as immersing the electric vehicle entirely in a pocket-type or tube-type water tank are also used. However, even these are not perfect. The lithium metal oxide, the main component of the cathode material in vehicle batteries, contains oxygen and releases oxygen at high temperatures, making smothering alone difficult for extinguishing. Concentrated water injection under the vehicle is also not easy. Due to the nature of electric vehicles having thousands of cells, it is difficult to identify the exact ignition location. Water tank extinguishing also faces spatial constraints and requires a large amount of water.

The fire response manual is incomplete. The government and firefighting authorities are still learning emergency measures, fire extinguishing methods, and ways to slow the spread. The situation is similar overseas as well as domestically. An industry insider said, "There are many speed bumps in Korea, so many internal combustion engine vehicles bounce along the road, but electric vehicles absorb shocks directly through the battery, which can threaten driver safety," adding, "The problem is that no one teaches these detailed precautions."

Experts agree that while creating the manual, it should be actively communicated to consumers. Professor Kim said, "It is important not only to establish fire extinguishing methods but also to develop and publicize quick evacuation methods for passengers and reporting procedures," adding, "Automakers and the government should work together to create the manual and promote it through a nationwide campaign."