EV Fire Risks To Be Examined At Leadership Dialogue
Time: Thursday 7.30pm
Forensic fire expert Dr Jonathan Barnett will address The International Institute For Strategic Leadership Dialogue as part of its “EV: the Unintended Consequences” session.
Dr Barnett who testified before the US congress as part of the ASCE/FEMA team that analysed the 9/11 World Trade Centre collapse will discuss the risks posed by EV fires in high rise buildings.
There have been numerous reports of electric vehicle fires internationally and the Dialogue will discuss the risks posed and the implications for the building and insurance sectors.
Institute founder Albert Dadon said as a property developer he was particularly interested in the implications for high-rise buildings which rely on fire suppression systems not designed to extinguish EV fires.
Mr Dadon said his concerns increased after the decision in August by General Motors to recall 73,000 Chevy Bolt cars because of the fire risk posed by its battery which followed an earlier recall by Hyundai which was also using an LG high-voltage battery.
Mr Dadon said while the greatest fire risks apparently arose while charging vehicles and in a collision, there were also reports of spontaneous fires and cars reigniting after being extinguished.
In recognition of the risks many fire departments in the US and Europe have received special training in dealing with EV fires because they are difficult to manage and require far more fire retardant than conventional combustion engine vehicle fires.
The lithium-ion batteries rely on liquid electrolytes, which are volatile and flammable when operating at high temperatures and can leak when damaged. The resulting fires can lead to a phenomenon known as “thermal runaway” where the fire feeds on itself. Experts suggest the trend towards higher voltage batteries and faster charging have increased the risks.
The full Leadership Dialogue program can be accessed at:
Media is welcome to register to participate in the sessions including submitting questions. Please email info@leadershipdialogue.institute
The session can also be viewed live on the Frank Talk YouTube channel.