Electric Vehicle Fires Steadily Increasing... Difficult to Identify Causes
Fire Department Enhances Expertise and Conducts Special Training for Response
The number of electric vehicle fire incidents has noticeably increased over the past five years. Compared to internal combustion engine vehicles, where mechanical factors are the main cause, electric vehicles are often classified as 'cause unknown,' highlighting the need for separate countermeasures.
Accordingly, on the 17th, the National Fire Agency announced that it conducted a 'Special Training on Fire Investigation for Electric Vehicles and Charging Facilities' to strengthen specialized capabilities in fire investigation related to electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
This training was organized to cultivate experts who can understand the fire characteristics of electric vehicle batteries and charging facilities and systematically analyze their causes. It was held the previous day at the Osong Convention Center in Chungbuk, targeting about 100 fire investigators from nationwide city and provincial fire headquarters, fire academies, and the National Fire Research Institute.
According to the National Fire Agency's analysis of vehicle fires over the past five years, the number and proportion of electric vehicle fires are lower than those of internal combustion vehicles, but they have been increasing annually with the expansion of electric vehicle adoption. While internal combustion vehicle fires showed little change?3,601 cases in 2020, 3,494 in 2021, 3,639 in 2022, and 3,657 in 2023?electric vehicle fires rose sharply from 11 cases to 24, then 43, and 72 during the same period.
The problem lies in the ignition factors. For internal combustion engine vehicles, mechanical causes accounted for the highest proportion at 32.8%, with unknown causes at only 11.8%. In contrast, for electric vehicles, unknown causes were the most frequent at 29.9%. This is attributed to the difficulty in identifying causes due to the characteristics of electric vehicle fires, such as high temperatures and thermal runaway.
In response, the National Fire Agency invited experts from related organizations to share the latest technological trends to enhance the professionalism of fire investigators, shorten the period for determining fire causes, and strengthen systematic safety management of electric vehicles and charging facilities. Notably, Professor Kim Jong-hoon from the Department of Electrical Engineering at Chungnam National University shared insights on the safety of Battery Management Systems (BMS) and related domestic and international research trends. Lee Won-il, principal researcher of the Future Mobility Team at the Korea Chemical Convergence Testing Institute, shared analyses of causes and cases of fires in electric vehicle charging facilities. Subsequently, Nam Sang-hoon, principal researcher at the Korea Transportation Safety Authority's Automotive Safety Research Institute, introduced findings from investigations into electric vehicle structures and fire cases. Park Jong-young, a researcher in the Planning and Finance Division of the National Fire Agency, provided an overview of ongoing electric vehicle-related research and development projects at the agency.
Kim Hak-geun, head of the Fire Response Investigation Division at the National Fire Agency, stated, "Due to the characteristics of electric vehicle battery fires, specialized investigation techniques and scientific approaches different from those for internal combustion engine vehicles are required." He added, "Going forward, the National Fire Agency will continue to conduct special training to enhance fire investigation expertise and share information on the latest technologies with related industries and academia as part of the government's comprehensive electric vehicle fire safety management measures."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
