The Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric car fire occurred last year in Busan, South Korea. This accident resulted in two people dying after the car crashed into the toll fence.
Although electric cars do not catch fire more often than cars with internal combustion engines, in the event of a fire, electric vehicles will burn spectacularly and continue to experience a thermal runaway that is very difficult to extinguish with conventional fire extinguishers. The fire in electric cars can only be extinguished by lifting the car by crane and submerging it into a pool of water.
In the incident, firefighters were equipped with breathing equipment and continued to thicken the car with water even after the fire was successfully extinguished, because the thermal runaway on the battery could cause it to burn again. The only way to prevent a thermal runaway is to cool the electric car battery.
While preliminary investigations indicated that the death toll in the incident was not caused by a fire, but because of the accident itself that occurred at a speed of between 80 and 90 km/hour.
Reported by WrapCar, in the accident the driver and passenger did not wear a seat belt and used a fake belt clip to avoid the sound of a seat belt warning.
In Korea, Hyundai electric cars have been associated with fire risk after many fire incidents involving the Hyundai Kona Electric. The model has been stopped production in Korea, although a better version of the car is still available in other countries, such as in Indonesia.
Although statistics show that electric cars cause only 0.52 percent of cases of cars burned in 2020, cars with combustion engines cause 1.88 percent, currently electric cars are increasingly commonly used.
This makes the Korean Fire Department evaluate several options to combat electric car fires, including the use of fire blankets and special tools to build cooling pools around cars.
One solution to reduce the risk of a thermal runaway is to use a solid battery. Solid-state battery does not require in-depth electrolyte liquid, which can reduce the risk of battery failure and fire.
The Toyota automaker will introduce a solid battery to its production cars by 2025, but only in hybrid cars first as the battery is smaller and cheaper, while the cost of a solid battery is still too high for electric cars.
Several Chinese automakers have also shown a functioning battery-dense prototype, but not yet ready for commercial sale.
Prevention Steps
To prevent fires in electric cars, there are several preventive measures that can be taken. For example, avoid charging the battery at night when the car is not monitored. It is better to charge during the day when the car can be monitored more easily.
Make sure the charging cable is in good condition and not damaged. Avoid using tangled cables or defects because it can cause short circuits or short circuits.
Avoid parking an electric car in a hot place and exposed to direct sunlight. too high temperatures can cause the battery to overheat and can trigger a fire.
Make sure the electric car battery is in good condition and well maintained. Battery care includes avoiding excessive charging or excessive use.
Do regular inspections of electric cars, especially in parts related to batteries. Make sure there is no damage or leakage that can trigger fires.
Meanwhile, in the event of a fire, immediately get yourself out of the car and contact the firefighters. Do not try to extinguish the fire yourself because the electric car battery can explode and cause serious injury.
Rescue Steps
If an electric car catches fire, the steps that must be taken by the driver and passenger are as quickly as possible, get out of the car and away from the fire area. Do not try to extinguish the fire or open the hood of the car's engine or door if not necessary.
If there is traffic jams or a situation blocking getting out of the car, it's best to stay in the car and wait for help to arrive. However, make sure to close all doors and windows to prevent smoke from getting into the cabin.
Avoid contact with the vehicle or parts of the car's electricity because it can cause burns.
If there are injured victims or people who need help, they should immediately call the local emergency number.
Tell firefighters if the car that caught fire was an electric car, so they can take appropriate action to extinguish the fire and prevent a thermal runaway from occurring on the battery.
Avoid breathing smoke from an electric car fire because it contains very toxic gas. If you are forced to breathe smoke, get out of the fire area and seek fresh air.
After the fire is extinguished, avoid touching parts of the car that are still hot because it can cause burns.
When driving an electric car, always pay attention to the battery leak indicator, battery temperature, and engine temperature to ensure the car is in safe condition.
If there are indications of damage or leakage in the battery, immediately turn off the car and call the nearest repair shop to check it. In addition, make sure to follow the instructions in the guidebook for using electric cars and carry out routine maintenance to ensure the car is always in safe condition.
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