4 electrical automobile (EV) fires occurred in Malaysia between January and September this yr, experiences The Solar. That is in response to Putrajaya hearth and rescue division hearth 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 chance of fires.
“EV house owners ought to keep away from overcharging, monitor charging classes and be sure that their automobiles should not uncovered to excessive warmth or particles. It might probably 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. Because of thermal runaway, the excessive warmth and fast deflagration course of make EV fires troublesome to extinguish with common ABC dry powder or water until the automobile is flooded with ice,” he stated.
Out of the 4 EV fires this yr, 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 hearth that may launch giant quantities of warmth, poisonous gases and chemical fumes.
At current, water and a particular hearth blanket are used to take care of EV fires, though they solely serve to forestall the fireplace from spreading and to not extinguish it. It might probably 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 will need to 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 discover ways to take care of them in addition to the additional precautions required, together with carrying full private protecting tools 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, in the end producing extremely poisonous gases. “Regardless of frequent warnings about hearth risks, many individuals consider it’s a distant danger that solely impacts others. It’s necessary to be further cautious and alert to forestall potential incidents,” he stated.
In the meantime, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) automotive growth centre director Dr Mohd Azman Abas stated EV battery applied sciences are necessary in minimising the chance of a hearth. “Whereas most electrical automobiles at present use lithium-ion batteries, which supply excessive power density and effectivity, they’re additionally extra inclined to dangers comparable to overheating, which may end up in thermal runaway,” he defined.
The way in which 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 brief circuits. He added that researchers are exploring the mixing of synthetic intelligence (AI) to boost the system’s skill to foretell and detect potential points.
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