Fire Risk in Electric Vehicles. Recently we saw a video of an electric scooter engulfed in flames. Electric vehicles on fire are much spoken of when talking about EVs.
A father and his daughter were killed when their Electric Scooter caught fire inside the house. The fire could not be suppressed and both of them were suffocated to death.
These incidents indicate the fire risk in EVs. Though the risk is there in IC engine vehicles, fire due to batteries is hard to put out.
Why do EVs Catch Fire?
There are various reasons leading to fire but some of the most prominent ones are:-
Thermal Runaway.
It is the increase in the temperature of the battery cells due to the presence of impurities. These impurities may cause overheating by Exothermic reactions and may lead to Short Circuits.
This results in increased temperature of battery Cells. Flammable gases are byproducts. These flammable gases catch fire by the already high temperature. This leads to fire risks in Electric Vehicles.
Fast Charging.
Usually, consumers want fast charging for their vehicles. This causes the melting of components due to heavy load. Melting causes the parts to short-circuit and causes fire.
Increased Ambient Temperature
The temperature of the near environment also causes the battery cells to catch fire. This leads to Thermal Runaway which causes fire.
Faulty Composition.
The faults in the chemical composition of the battery components cause overheating due to friction. This overheating in the battery leads to fire.
Vibrations.
The vibration in the vehicle due to the road conditions or the movement of the Electric Vehicle causes the batteries to overheat and thus overheating is caused and leads to fire risk in electric vehicles.
Local Batteries & Chargers
The parts not compatible with the Electric Vehicle usually cause Fire. This is due to overheating.
Remedies
BHMS.
Battery Health Management System. It is an application to monitor the battery’s health and indicates the parameters to the user.
It is the responsibility of the producer to provide BHMS. If a good BHMS is there then the fire hazard is minimal.
Charging Schedule.
One must avoid frequent charging of the EV. Too much charging leads to heating of the battery. It causes fire. Charge battery only after full use. This improves battery health.
Charge after Some Time.
Immediately after the vehicle is off, it should not be put to charging. It is so because the Lithium-Ion Cells in the battery remain active for some time even if the Electric Vehicle is off.
One best practice is removing the battery and keeping it aside if possible.
No Local Battery or Charging Cable.
We must avoid the use of Local Products. This will not only prevent fire but also improve the overall battery health.
We must avoid the use of Local Products. This will not only prevent fire but also improve the overall battery health.
Keep the Vehicle Cool.
It is done by keeping the vehicle in shade. At times the batteries can also be removed and placed in the shade.
Regular Battery Check Up.
Check the batteries regularly for any defects or changes. Changes if any, are to be immediately rectified.
Disconnect in Time.
Disconnect the batteries when charging is complete. Regularly monitor when the Electric Vehicle is charging. Overcharging will lead to overheating and thus degraded battery health.
Use Fire Suppressants.
A wide range of fire suppressants is available in the market. These is to suppress the fire. These can be gel-base or foam based.
It is also the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure the Electric Vehicle Batteries have fire suppressants as a standard norm.
Recommendations.
Medhini recommends that government regulations and policies be to monitor and curb any malpractices by EV manufacturers. It is to be done as soon as possible since India’s EV market is growing fast.
Better battery health will enable battery recycling and thereby help to curb Climate Change. Recycling of batteries is as per the Battery Waste Management Rules 2022.