Full-scale experimental study of the characteristics of electric vehicle fires process and response measures

Fire accidents are a source of concern for electric vehicles (EV). The spread of fire caused by thermal runaway (TR) in a scenario with a high concentration of EVs can result in a serious disaster. In this study, a full-scale EV fire experiment was conducted using thermal abuse to investigate response strategies to EV fires caused by TR. The pattern of TR fires spreading in EV was also investigated. The suppression capabilities of fire blankets, water spray, and compressed air foam on EV fires in the early stages were analyzed. During the test, the temperature distributions inside and outside the vehicle were measured. The maximum temperature recorded in the passenger compartment near the roof was 919.7 °C. The length of the jet flow was estimated from the images, with the longest being approximately 2.56 m. The fire suppression test demonstrated that the fire blankets effectively extinguished flames, and the temperature inside the car gradually decreased. A water mist device can reduce temperature and put out flames. The compressed air foam effectively extinguished the fire, with an average cooling rate of −9.8 °C/s. These results provide information on EV fire response strategies.