4 electrical automobile (EV) fires occurred in Malaysia between January and September this 12 months, experiences The Solar. That is in accordance with Putrajaya fireplace and rescue division fireplace security division director Datuk Khirudin Drahman Hussain, who suggested EV house owners to observe the producer’s guide to make sure secure operation and cut back the danger of fires.
“EV house owners ought to keep away from overcharging, monitor charging classes and be sure that their autos should not uncovered to excessive warmth or particles. It may take from 5 to 24 hours to completely extinguish an EV fireplace, relying on the scale of the battery (kWh) and the hearth load concerned. Because of thermal runaway, the excessive warmth and fast 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 have been on account of accidents. When thermal runaway happens, the battery pack overheats and ignites different cells, resulting in an intense and extended fireplace that may launch giant quantities of warmth, poisonous gases and chemical fumes.
At current, water and a particular fireplace blanket are used to take care of EV fires, though they solely serve to forestall the hearth from spreading and to not extinguish it. It may take a really very long time to place out an EV battery fireplace experiencing thermal runaway, as evident by this case involving a Tesla Semi again in August.
Below the brand new fireplace security pointers, EV charging bays in Malaysia will need to have an EV fireplace blanket at a strategic level or a fireplace command centre. Firefighters are additionally present process coaching and publicity to EV fires to learn to take care of 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 fireplace risks, many individuals imagine it’s a distant danger that solely impacts others. It’s necessary to be additional cautious and alert to forestall 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 fireplace. “Whereas most electrical autos at the moment use lithium-ion batteries, which supply excessive power density and effectivity, they’re additionally extra vulnerable to dangers similar to overheating, which may end up in thermal runaway,” he defined.
The best way a battery is designed and managed is necessary, with methods needing to make sure secure 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 reinforce the system’s means to foretell and detect potential points.
Trying to promote your automotive? Promote it with Carro.
