Safety Risks to Emergency Responders

from Lithium-Ion Battery Fires in Electric

Vehicles

Energy Storage Systems Safety and Reliability Forum

April 21, 2021

1

Overview

• Background of li-ion battery issues

• EV fire Investigations

• Other li-ion battery fire events

• Regulations and industry standards

• Emergency Response Guides (ERGs)

• Safety issues

• Findings / recommendations

2

What is the

NTSB?

• Independent

accident

investigation

agency

•All transportation

modes

3

Background with li-ion batteries

• Previous incidents raised awareness

• High Voltage (HV) Li-ion batteries - emerging technology

• 2011 Chevy Volt fire (post crash test)

• 2012 Tesla roadway debris and severe crash fires

• 2013 Aircraft fires

• NTSB EV fire investigations

• First and second responder challenges

• 3 severe crashes, 1 internal battery failure

Lake Forest, CA (August 2017)

• Crash into ditch and house with post crash fire, re-ignition

5

6:17 p.m..~6:30 p.m..

Lake Forest, CA (August 2017)

6

6:56 p.m.

Running fuel

issue?.

9:13 p.m

Elevate SUV to

spray water under

Lake Forest: re-ignition on tow truck

7

~11:30 p.m..

Mountain View, CA (March 2018)• Crash into highway attenuator with post crash fire, re-ignitions

• Management of damaged EV at scene, closed freeway

8

Mountain View, CA (March 2018)

• Re-ignitions on scene and at tow yard days later

• Stranded energy, inability to de-energize

9

Fort Lauderdale, FL (May 2018)

• High speed crash into wall with fire

• Similar issues, improper storage

• Crash separated battery

• Safe to conduct full inspection

• Confirmed high voltage

10

West Hollywood, CA (June 2018)

• Internal li-ion battery failure during normal operation

• Issues with first and secondary response

• Experienced responders still lacked guidance

• Even a non-crashed battery required disassembly to de-energize

11

West Hollywood, CA (June 2018)• Driver video

12

International EV Fires

• Belgium (May 2017), 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

struck tree• Similar fire fighter and re-ignition issues

• Netherlands (March 2019), BMW i8 battery failure• Non-crash cause of fire, novel approach to fire fighting

13

International EV Fires

• Norway (March 2017), 2017 BMW i3 training exercise

14

Regulations

• FMVSS 305 Electric powered vehicles

• Effective Oct. 2001, safety post crash, electrical isolation

• Evaluations post standard FMVSS 208 crash tests

• Amended 2017 and 2019 to adopt normal operations requirements and harmonize with GTR-13 and GTR-20

• Global Technical Regulations (GTR)

• UN agreement in 1998, in force in 2000

• GTR-13 (2005): high voltage safety of hydrogen vehicles

• GTR-20 (2018): electric vehicles

• Both include normal operation and post crash, but not severe crash

15

Standards and industry guidance

• SAE J2990 Hybrid and EV first and second responder recommended practice

• ISO Standard 17840 Road vehicles –information for first and second responders• Part 1: rescue sheets for passenger cars, light vehicles

• Part 2: rescue sheets for buses, heavy commercial vehicles

• Part 3: Emergency Response Guides (ERGs) for unconventional vehicles

• Part 4: standard formatting, symbols, etc.

16

Industry guidance for responders to li-ion

battery incidents

• 2011-2013: basic guidance and studies from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

• 2015: NFPA emergency field guide for alternative fueled vehicles in safety training programs

• 2018: NFPA publishes emergency field guide with information from 40+ manufacturers

• Manufacturer ERGs, mobile applications

17

Evaluating manufacturer ERGs

18

Specific HV disconnect

Specific battery fire

Specific mitigation of

stranded energy

Safety Issues

• Inadequacy of emergency response guides

for minimizing risks to first and secondary

responders from Li-ion battery fires

• Gaps in safety standards for high-speed,

high-severity crashes involving Li-ion battery

vehicles

19

Recommendations

NHTSA:

• Incorporate Emergency Response Guides (ERGs) into NCAP

• Continue research on mitigating or de-energizing stranded

energy

EV Manufacturers (cars, trucks, buses in USA)

• Model ERGs on ISO 17840 and SAE J2990

• Vehicle specific information on fire fighting, stranded energy,

safe storage

Responder Associations (NFPA, IAFC, IAFF, AFTC, NVFC, TRAA

• Inform members of risks and available guidance

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Thank You!Thomas Barth, Ph.D.

Thomas.barth@ntsb.gov

303.319.5774

Report number: SR2001https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SR2001.pdf

Summary Video on NTSB websitehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6eS6JzBn0k

Docket number: HWY19SP002https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Forms/searchdocket

(put HWY19SP002 in search box)

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