The Growing Risk of EV Fires and The Solution from B.A.T Products
As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to spread in popularity across the UK driven by government legislation and sustainability goals, the development of EV charging infrastructure grows with it.
As we embrace the new future of the automotive industry, this shift brings a new and significant safety risk that many businesses and their infrastructure are unprepared for, EV fires caused by lithium-ion battery failures. Therefore, there is a need for a robust, compliant, and future-proofed EV fire safety system to protect people and assets.
At B.A.T Products, we are proud to offer new EV fire safety systems that not only protect your people and assets but also help ensure compliance and improve your organisation’s insurability and compliance.
In this blog, we explore the danger of EV fires and thermal runaway and why a proactive solution is essential for the future.
What are the risks of EV Fires?
From local authorities upgrading fleets to businesses installing workplace charging points, lithium-ion battery-powered vehicles are becoming the new norm and part of all our daily lives.
Most workplaces and commercial properties were not originally designed to accommodate the fire risks posed by these newer technologies. Unlike petrol or diesel vehicles, electric vehicles house lithium-ion batteries, which behave very differently in a fire.
A minor collision, overcharging incident, manufacturing fault, or external fire source can be enough to trigger thermal runaway, a dangerous chain reaction that can have devastating consequences.
The Hidden Dangers: Toxic and Explosive Gases
In addition to flames and heat, thermal runaway releases hazardous gases, many of which are highly toxic or flammable. These can include:
· Hydrogen fluoride – a corrosive and poisonous gas
· Carbon monoxide – a silent killer in confined spaces
· Flammable vapours that may ignite and cause secondary explosions
Even if a fire does not spread, the gas released can pose a lethal inhalation risk to employees, first responders, or anyone nearby. This makes containment, detection, and ventilation critical components of any EV fire safety strategy.
The Consequences of EV Fires in the Workplace
The consequences an EV fire can have on the workplace cannot be overlooked.
Most importantly, people must be protected in the workplace and without appropriate solutions in place, there could be a risk to human life.
In terms of assets, an example could be a single vehicle in your fleet or parked in your workplace experiences a battery failure and bursts into flames, without appropriate response, it could continue damaging nearby vehicles and the charging infrastructure and filling the air with toxic smoke. That’s why a specialised solution isn’t just recommended, it’s essential.
Fire Risk Assessments Must Evolve
Under UK legislation, all employers and building operators are responsible for conducting a fire risk assessment that accounts for potential hazards including those introduced by EVs and charging stations.
Yet many assessments still fail to consider the specific fire dynamics of lithium-ion batteries, leaving businesses exposed.
B.A.T Products’ fire safety systems are fully aligned with modern fire risk assessment frameworks. We help you stay compliant while protecting what matters most.
Our Solution: Advanced EV Fire Safety Systems
At B.A.T Products, we’ve developed a powerful EV fire safety solution designed specifically to combat the unique and growing risks posed by lithium-ion battery fires. These systems go beyond conventional fire protection, offering a multi-layered approach tailored to the demands of modern electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
Our technology enables the early detection of thermal runaway, spotting critical warning signs before they escalate into full-blown fires. In the event of an incident, authorities are notified quickly and the correct response equipment is based on site ready for them.
Each installation is site specific and includes full fire risk assessment, whether you’re protecting a handful of charging bays, a multi-storey car park, or a large-scale fleet at your warehouse. As our solution is built with compliance and prevention in mind, it also supports insurance policy approval and renewal, giving you and your stakeholders added peace of mind.
By intervening early and containing potential fire events before they spread, our systems help to reduce emergency response time, limit property damage, and most importantly protect human life.
The Time to Act Is Now
EV fire risks are no longer just a possibility; they’re a reality happening across the globe.
From fleet depots to workplace car parks, incidents are already occurring, highlighting just how real and immediate the danger can be. As more companies transition to electric vehicles, the likelihood of these events only increases, making it clear that this is not a risk we can afford to ignore.
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