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Saving fuel is really heating up, literally. More people are being attracted to plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), hybrids, and electric vehicles. This could be smart for the wallet, but this creates a massive need for lithium battery fire training. These batteries burn so hot that the pavement could melt. 

EVs require lithium battery fire training to put out HOT flames

The push for EVs is growing, so lithium battery fire training is a hot commodity that should be taken seriously by city planners, electrical utilities, vehicle technicians, and first responders. 

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has excellent tips for correctly putting out EV fires to result in less damage and to reduce the risk of these fires from getting out of control. 

Roughly 219,000 cars catch on fire every year in America. This breaks down to an average of about 600 per day. 

Even though EVs, hybrids, and PHEVs represent a small portion of the fires, they take much longer to extinguish and can even reignite after being deemed safe. 

Hybrid and electric vehicles present new challenges for firefighters as internal combustion engine vehicles have been around for about 100 years. 

A car engulfed in flames
Car in flames | iStock

Firefighters know how to put out gasoline car fires quickly, but lithium-ion batteries generate their own heat and oxygen, making things severely worse. 

The key is to use water to cool the batteries to prevent thermal runaway, which refers to the fire spreading to other battery cells. But keep in mind that these fires may require more water to put out. 

Not only is a lithium battery fire harder to put out, but it burns much hotter than a gas vehicle fire. Plus, EVs have high-voltage wiring that increases the risk even more. 

The batteries are often located under the car to evenly distribute the weight. So, they can be more difficult to reach if the vehicle has a low ground clearance. 

Luckily, NPFA provides free training based on real scenarios. They let an EV burn in a garage for 45 minutes before sending firefighters in to simulate a training program based on the results. 

The computer-based program allows people to walk through scenarios in real-time to see the outcome of each decision made.

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Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.