Fire safety for EVs and micromobility: Best practice assessment

The global race to electrify our transport systems in the pursuit of reduced carbon emissions has led to a rapid increase in the deployment of lithium-ion batteries (LIB). Consequently, there is a need to ensure the ongoing uplift of standards, regulation and best practice available to Australian business and consumers to inform insurance risk for safe deployment and use of lithium-ion batteries, specifically to mitigate fire risk as well as make informed decisions around battery end-of-life considerations.

This project will work with an international consortium of experts to assess the current global state-of-play for safe deployment, use and storage of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicle and micromobility applications to generate guidance, recommendation and best practice that will enable improved safety in Australia.

Participants

• Insurance Australia Limited (IAG)
• Queensland University of Technology
• EV FireSafe
• Standards Australia

Project background

The speed of adoption of electric vehicles (EV) and other lithium-ion battery (LIB) products in Australia is rapidly accelerating while the speed of standards, regulation and general understanding around LIB safety is not keeping pace.

This gap in knowledge and subsequent lack of relevant regulatory frameworks and standards is causing significant safety issues for Australian businesses and residents. This includes multiple cases of property loss, extending to entire buildings in some cases, and in the case of micromobility devices also includes loss of life. In Queensland alone, emergency services estimate that they currently respond to approximately 3 fire events a week due to LIBs. Public perception of LIBs is subsequently being impacted negatively which further impacts the adoption of LIB technologies which are critical for Australia to reach its national clean energy targets.

The project addresses the lack of best practice guidance and/or standards as well as the necessary associated regulatory frameworks to ensure safe storage and use of LIBs.

Further, the project will utilise the data and research findings to address myths and misunderstandings in these areas due to the lack of knowledge in this space largely due to the complexities and high cost of performing safety testing which is making it difficult for insurers to make informed decisions around risk and pricing of the technology.

Partner support

IAG will support the project with guidance around insurance considerations to support business operations as well as a cash contribution to the project. In addition to that, IAG will gather input from internal stakeholders and coordinate with OEMs to leverage their expertise on this topic

EV FireSafe is an Australian company funded by the Australian Department of Defence to research electric vehicle battery fires and emergency response, and developed the world’s only detailed and verified global database of EV battery fires in vehicles including cars, buses and trucks and specialist EVs in aviation, mining, military and airports.

Through the professional relationships EV FireSafe has forged across all areas of LiB technology, from industry, emergency response, and academia and research, our network of peers now encompass the globe, providing instant and accurate information that forms the basis of our work and database.

Although the EV FireSafe database is not publicly viewable, they contribute their global knowledge with the aim of enhancing safety for everyone working around electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries. EV FireSafe will support the project with knowledge through their experience and networks in the field of EV fire safety.

Standards Australia is Australia’s leading independent, non-government, not-for-profit standards organisation. They are representatives of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and specialise in the development and adoption of internationally-aligned standards in Australia. It will support the project by drawing on its existing recommendations made in August 2024 as part of its work to progress standards which impact emerging technologies such as LIB and EVs to help protect people from potential harm and safety issues.

Project objectives

The main project objective is to develop a Best Practice guide for LIB storage and a state-of-play report on EV safety, that will include identified strategies for mitigating fire risks associated with the project fields of interest

The key research objectives of this project are to:.

1. Investigate EV and micromobility fire risk during charging and strategies to mitigate the risk;
2. Evaluate the fire risks associated with dismantled or removed EV and micro-mobility batteries;
3. Analyse the impact of weather exposure and chemical product interaction on the fire risks;
4. Determine how the state of battery health influences the risk of fire in EVs;
5. Investigate the correlation between vehicle age and fire risk; and
6. Develop the best practice for battery storage for LIB.

Please note …

This page will be a living record of this project. As it matures, hits milestones, etc., we’ll continue to add information, links, images, interviews and more. Watch this space!