Highly visible incidents can create the impression that EV fires happen frequently. However, dramatic media coverage does not by itself demonstrate how often one vehicle type catches fire compared with another.

Reliable comparisons are difficult because available datasets may use different definitions, reporting methods, vehicle ages and exposure measurements. A comparison per registered vehicle may also produce a different result from a comparison per kilometre driven or vehicle year.

The technically responsible conclusion is therefore not that electric vehicles “always” catch fire or that the risk can be dismissed. The more useful conclusion is that EV fires have different operational characteristics that require appropriate preparation.

These characteristics can include:

• thermal runaway within damaged battery cells;
• continued internal heat generation;
• the possibility of delayed reignition;
• the release of hot and potentially hazardous gases;
• the need for extended cooling and monitoring.

Fire safety planning should therefore be based on realistic site-specific risks rather than fear created by isolated videos or headlines.

Battery incidents can involve rapid gas release, intense flames, popping sounds, pressure events and ejected material. These effects can appear explosive, especially in short video clips.

However, describing every EV battery incident simply as an “explosion” is inaccurate and can obscure what is actually happening.

When a lithium-ion cell becomes unstable, chemical decomposition may generate heat and gases. Pressure can increase until the cell vents or its casing fails. If released gases ignite, forceful flames or pressure effects may occur.

The exact behaviour depends on factors including:

• battery chemistry;
• cell and module design;
• state of charge;
• the nature of the damage;
• ventilation and confinement;
• the number of cells involved.

Emergency responders must take possible pressure events seriously, but Hollywood-style explosion imagery should not replace a proper understanding of thermal runaway.

A portable extinguisher may be useful for certain surrounding materials or an early-stage fire outside the traction battery. It does not automatically stop the internal reactions occurring inside battery cells that have entered thermal runaway.

Visible flames are only one part of the incident. Damaged cells may continue generating heat internally, and additional cells may become involved later.

This means that suppressing visible flames does not necessarily mean:

• the battery temperature is stable;
• thermal propagation has ended;
• reignition is impossible;
• the vehicle is safe to transport or store without further assessment.

Professional emergency services determine the appropriate tactics for each incident. These may include cooling, monitoring, isolating the vehicle and arranging controlled recovery or quarantine.

Unfortunately, this assumption can be dangerous.

Even after visible flames have disappeared, damaged battery cells may still contain significant amounts of heat. Internal chemical reactions can continue, and under certain conditions additional cells may become involved later.

For this reason, emergency responders often continue monitoring an electric vehicle long after visible flames have been extinguished.

Depending on the incident, additional actions may include:

• temperature monitoring;
• thermal imaging;
• continued cooling;
• vehicle isolation;
• transport to a designated quarantine area.

The absence of flames should therefore never be interpreted as proof that the battery is completely stable.

Modern electric vehicles and charging stations incorporate multiple safety systems that continuously monitor charging conditions.

Battery management systems supervise voltage, current and temperature throughout the charging process and can interrupt charging if abnormal conditions are detected.

Safe charging depends on:

• properly designed vehicles;
• approved charging equipment;
• correct installation;
• appropriate maintenance;
• following manufacturer instructions.

Although no technology is entirely without risk, public charging infrastructure is designed with multiple protective measures to make charging safe under normal operating conditions.

This is probably the most common misconception about Fire Limitation Blankets.

A Fire Limitation Blanket is intended to help reduce the spread of radiant heat, flames and smoke. It should not be described as an extinguishing blanket for lithium-ion battery fires.

Its role is to support emergency response by helping to:

• protect nearby vehicles;
• reduce fire spread;
• reduce smoke movement;
• support incident management;
• provide additional time for emergency responders.

This distinction is important because technically accurate product claims help users understand both the capabilities and the limitations of the equipment.

For more information, read How Does a Fire Limitation Blanket Work?.

Although many Fire Limitation Blankets may appear similar from the outside, there can be significant differences in design, materials, construction and technical documentation.

Important characteristics may include:

• blanket dimensions;
• fabric composition;
• coating technology;
• sewing and reinforcement;
• lifting handles and deployment design;
• independent testing and technical documentation.

Professional buyers should therefore evaluate products using objective technical information rather than appearance alone.

Independent testing—such as evaluation against DIN SPEC 91489—can provide valuable information when comparing different products.

A single temperature figure tells only part of the story.

The overall performance of a Fire Limitation Blanket depends on many factors, including the material system, blanket construction, durability, deployment characteristics and how the product performs during realistic testing.

Professional users should therefore consider:

• independent test results;
• blanket size;
• fabric quality;
• construction details;
• technical documentation;
• intended operational use.

Focusing on a single specification can lead to misleading product comparisons.

You can learn more in our article How to Choose a Fire Limitation Blanket.

Fire brigades are certainly one important user group, but they are far from the only organisations preparing for electric vehicle incidents.

Fire Limitation Blankets are increasingly being evaluated by:

• parking garage operators;
• vehicle recovery companies;
• vehicle workshops;
• car dealerships;
• fleet operators;
• vehicle distribution centres;
• ferry operators;
• airport Ground Support Operations;
• EV charging network operators.

Each of these organisations has different operational requirements, but they all share the same objective: helping reduce the spread of heat, flames and smoke while established emergency procedures are implemented.