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(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 25, 2011 ) Asheville, NC - When rescue workers respond to a car crash involving a gasoline powered car, they know to unhook a damaged vehicle's battery to help prevent a fire. In the case of EV or hybrid cars, just unhooking the traditional battery is not enough. The lithium-ion battery that powers the car must be disconnected as well. Fire fighters are facing an inconsistent safety policy when it comes to these vehicles.
Jason Emery is the lead electric-vehicle safety instructor for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). He has helped develop an online class regarding regarding EV and hybrid car safety issues for firefighters. Over 10,000 firefighters have taken the course since April. While the course is helpful, automakers lack one consistent fire-prevention procedure for electric vehicle batteries, Emery said. GM sends in a team to drain the carÂ’s battery following any major Chevrolet Volt accident and Nissan provides a notebook of recommendations, but would prefer standard procedures.
Those standards could come soon. Once the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finishes its review of post-crash electric vehicles, it will most likely issue a standard recommendation. The NHTSA review comes after it confirmed that a Volt extended-range electric had caught fire more than three weeks following a crash test. The Volt caught fire because NHTSA reps did not know to drain the VoltÂ’s battery. The battery case had been punctured during the crash test and was spilling coolant, which caused a short that triggered a fire.
Despite the incident, the NHTSA reiterated this week that EVs have no greater risk of fire than any other vehicles. GM is working to have a battery drain tool available at dealerships next year, eliminating the need for the company to respond to every Volt crash. On the first responder side of things, GM has held first-responder training in major Volt launch markets and the National Fire Protection Association has trained academies in 12 states. ''Most emergency responders are going to be able to handle it,'' Emery said. ''In reality, we handle whatever gets thrown at us.'' The NFPA is also compiling a quick-reference guide that would keep each manufacturersÂ’ recommendations handy for firefighters.
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Source: EmailWire.com
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