The Warning
At EV-EXBOX we fully support the move to cleaner fuels. The transition from the internal combustion engine (ICE) to electric vehicles (EV) is an important stepping stone.
However, in the rush to roll out EV charging hubs & charging locations no consideration has been given to fire suppression or environmental protection.
Today fires are a rare occurrence but as charging infrastructure & EV vehicles get older, battery related fires will become more common.
Improvised cable repairs, cable theft, cheaper counterfeit cables & an unregulated second hand battery market will all increase the risk of thermal runaway & fire in the future.
The demand for faster charging will put more strain on the batteries themselves. Small car park shunts, road traffic accidents, potholes & speed bumps will also add to the deterioration of the lithium-ion battery over time.
With EV charging facilities now being installed in basements & multistorey car parks, the consequences of an EV fire will become even more serious.
Many structures were never designed to withstand the extreme heat of an EV fire. Existing sprinkler systems are now outmoded. The level of toxic smoke & explosive gases emitted from an EV fire have not been considered.
The main risks of petrol filling stations was always explosion, fire & environmental pollution, but they were designed out. With EV charging hubs & locations, the same or even worse risks are present. They have not been designed out.