"Increasing Sprinklers and Widening Parking Spaces Needed"…A Look into European Electric Vehicle Fire Research

Europe's Largest State Research Institute, Sweden's RISE Study
Electric Vehicle Fire Analysis Commissioned by European Automobile Manufacturers Association
Introduction of Machine Learning Parking Solution...Guiding Designated Parking Spots
Proposals Including Electric Vehicle Parking Limits per Unit Area

To reduce damage from electric vehicle fires occurring in underground parking lots, there is growing attention to expanding the introduction of sprinkler systems and implementing machine learning-based parking solutions to increase the spacing between parked electric vehicles. At the same time, it is advised to deploy robots and drones equipped with thermal imaging detection systems at fire suppression sites to improve accessibility for firefighting personnel.

According to a comprehensive report from our investigation on the 14th, the Swedish state research institute RISE issued such advice last year in its report titled "Electric Vehicle Fire Safety in Enclosed Spaces." The study was commissioned by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) to research institutes in the Nordic region, where electric vehicle adoption rates are high. RISE is the largest state research institute in Europe, established by integrating government-funded research institutes and designated testing agencies under the Swedish government.

The report identified factors determining the spread of electric vehicle fires in enclosed spaces as ▲the distance between parked vehicles ▲materials used in vehicle manufacturing ▲and the ceiling height of the enclosed space.

The scene of the fire that occurred on the 1st in the underground parking lot of an apartment in Cheongna, Incheon [Photo by Yonhap News]

First, the report noted that the closer the distance between parked electric vehicles, the higher the likelihood of fire spreading. It explained that 42% of the parking lot fire cases studied involved fire spreading from the initially ignited vehicle to adjacent vehicles. Recently released passenger cars have become larger in size and have increased the proportion of plastic used. According to the report, the proportion of plastic used relative to vehicle weight was only 6% in the 1970s but rose to 18% by 2020. An increased proportion of plastic means more combustible chemical substances. Additionally, lower ceiling heights in parking lots increase radiant energy, thereby raising the risk of fire spread.

The report diagnosed that increasing the spacing between parked electric vehicles would help reduce the risk of electric vehicle fire accidents in underground parking lots. It suggested limiting the number of electric vehicles parked per unit area or using artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML)-based methods to space out electric vehicle parking arrangements.

In South Korea, where there are many high-rise buildings and high population density, expanding parking lot dimensions seems practically difficult. Instead, the machine learning-based parking guidance solutions proposed in the report have high potential for application in South Korea. The report stated, "Technologies and solutions that classify electric vehicles by type and size to set safe parking distances and guide electric vehicles to specific points can be discussed."

From an infrastructure perspective, the report mentioned the need to introduce sprinkler systems and install early fire detection systems to block fire spread. Citing a 2009 parking lot fire test using sprinklers conducted by the UK Building Research Establishment (BRE), the report said, "Sprinklers have the effect of suppressing fire spread and preventing complete combustion of vehicles."