4 electrical car (EV) fires occurred in Malaysia between January and September this yr, reviews The Solar. That is in response to 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 cut back the chance of fires.
“EV homeowners ought to keep away from overcharging, monitor charging periods and make sure that their autos usually are not uncovered to excessive warmth or particles. It could take from 5 to 24 hours to totally extinguish an EV hearth, relying on the scale of the battery (kWh) and the fireplace load concerned. Attributable to thermal runaway, the excessive warmth and speedy deflagration course of make EV fires troublesome to extinguish with common ABC dry powder or water except the car is flooded with ice,” he mentioned.
Out of the 4 EV fires this yr, 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 massive 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 fireplace from spreading and to not extinguish it. It could 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 pointers, 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 carrying full private protecting gear with a set of respiration 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, in the end producing extremely poisonous gases. “Regardless of frequent warnings about hearth risks, many individuals imagine it’s a distant danger that solely impacts others. It’s essential to be further 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 essential in minimising the chance of a fireplace. “Whereas most electrical autos at the moment use lithium-ion batteries, which supply excessive vitality density and effectivity, they’re additionally extra vulnerable to dangers corresponding to overheating, which may end up in thermal runaway,” he defined.
The way in which a battery is designed and managed is essential, with programs needing to make sure protected charging and discharging in addition to keep away from overheating, overcharging or quick circuits. He added that researchers are exploring the combination of synthetic intelligence (AI) to boost the system’s skill to foretell and detect potential points.
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