Vehicle Fires

What causes a car fire? 

A car fire can have several causes. It can occur due to an electrical fault or short circuit, where the electrical fault leads to overheating and fire in the vehicle. Another cause can be a leakage, where a flammable liquid or gas finds an ignition source. 

New challenges for fire safety in vehicles 

Regardless of whether a car fire, bus fire, or truck fire occurs, it poses serious threats to life safety, property, and the environment. In our society, new energy carriers such as natural gas, biogas, hydrogen, and batteries are introduced. In addition, new materials and technologies are introduced in vehicles, such as solar panels and automation. These vehicle developments bring new fire challenges that we must learn to deal with.

Are fires in electric cars more common?

Research shows that fires in electric vehicles are not more common than in fossil fuel vehicles. What distinguishes a fire in an electric vehicle from a fire in a fossil fuel vehicle is that a fire in batteries is difficult to extinguish. In a free-burning situation, the fire behaviours are very similar, but it is difficult to get an extinguishing agent into the battery. This means that when dealing with electric vehicle fires, it is instead central to suppress the fire and prevent it from spreading.

You can read more about car fires and vehicle fires in this document "Facts and Myths About Fires in Battery Electric Vehicles" from the research in LASH FIRE.

How you can prevent vehicle fires

As a car fire usually has serious consequences, it is necessary to take preventive measures. Fire safety in cars, electric cars, trucks, buses, trains and ships is to a large extent about preventing and minimising the risk of fires. For individuals, fire safety includes having easily accessible fire extinguishing equipment and avoiding flammable products in the car. Furthermore, it is important to keep the vehicle in a good condition, for example by attending to damages and keeping the engine compartment clean and maintained.

How RISE improves vehicle fire safety

Through RISE research and testing in fire and safety, we work to prevent and improve management of fires in cars, electric cars, and other vehicles. We are a world leader in evaluating fire safety in several areas, and vehicle fire safety is one of our most important topics. RISE enables fire-safe technology development through fire research, testing, investigations, risk assessment, and training in vehicle fire safety.

Our activities in vehicle fire safety 

With our long expertise and solid knowledge in fire safety, we are used to dealing with complex issues and challenges. Our activities include testing in car fires, bus fires, lorry fires, ship fires, train fires, and fires in road and off-road vehicles. We are also involved in certification, accident investigation, and risk assessment in vehicle fires. Often, we work on long-term projects with clients, but we also help with ad hoc testing.

For insight into our work, please have a look at the following publications:

• Hynynen et al. "Analysis of combustion gases from large-scale electric vehicle fire tests"
• Quant et al. "Ecotoxicity Evaluation of Fire-Extinguishing Water from Large-Scale Battery and Battery Electric Vehicle Fire Tests"
• RISE Report 2023:42 "Electric Vehicle Fire Safety in Enclosed Spaces"
• RISE Report 2023:22 "Investigation of extinguishing water and combustion gases from vehicle fires"
• RISE Rapport 2022:95 "Brannsikkerhet i naturlig ventilerte parkeringshus"
• RISE Report 2021:26 "From petrol station to multifuel energy station: Changes in fire and explosion safety"
• RISE Report 2020:91 "Evaluation of fire in Stavanger airport car park 7 January 2020"
• RISE Report 2020:30 "Charging of electric cars in parking garages"
• RISE Report 2020:90 "Toxic Gases from Fire in Electric Vehicles"
• Bisschop et al. "Handling Lithium-Ion Batteries in Electric Vehicles: Preventing and Recovering from Hazardous Events"
• Sun et al. "A Review of Battery Fires in Electric Vehicles"
• RISE Report 8P03983-03 "Fire Suppression Tests for Vehicle Battery Pack"
• RISE Report 2019:120, "CNG vehicle containers exposed to local fires"
• RISE Report 2019:50 “Fire Safety of Lithium-Ion Batteries in Road Vehicles”
• RISE Report 2018:20 ”Study of fire and explosion hazards of alternative fuel vehicles in tunnels”
• RISE Rapport 2018: A18 20319:1 “Brannsikkerhet og alternative energibaerare Hydrogenkjoretoy i parkeringskjellere”
• SPFR Rapport A 17 20096-04:01“Brannsikkerhet og alternative energibærere: Gasskjøretøy i tunneler og parkeringskjellere”
• SP Report 2017:14 “Risks associated with alternative fuels in road tunnels and underground garages”
• SP Report 2017:41 “Lithium-ion Batteries used in Electrified Vehicles – General Risk Assessment and Construction Guidelines from a Fire and Gas Release Perspective”
• SP Report 2016:85 ”Fire detection & fire alarm systems in heavy vehicles – Final Report”
• SP Report 2016:55 “Post-collision fires in road vehicles, a pre-study”
• Larsson et al. “Are electric vehicles safer than combustion engine vehicles?”
• Larsson et al. “Lithium-Ion Battery Aspects on Fires in Electrified Vehicles on the Basis of Experimental Abuse Tests”
• Larsson et al. “Battery Aspects on Fires in Electrified Vehicles”
• Larsson et al. “Energy storage system safety in electrified vehicles”
• SPFR-report A17 20096:03-01 “Fullskala branntest av elbil”
• SP Report 2016:05 “Full scale fire-test of an electric hybrid bus”
• SPFR-report A16 20096-1:1 “Brannsikkerhet og alternative energibærere: El- og gasskjøretøy i innelukkede rom”
• SP Report 2015:77 “Fire detection & fire alarm systems in heavy duty vehicles – WP2: Factors influencing detector performance in vehicles”
• SP Report 2015:68 “Fire detection & fire alarm systems in heavy duty vehicles – WP1: Survey of fire detection in vehicles”
• SP Report 2015:43 “Bus fires in Sweden 2005-2013”
• SP Report 2014:28 “Fire detection & fire alarm systems in heavy duty vehicles – WP5: Fire detection in bus and coach toilet compartments and driver sleeping compartments”
• SP Report 2014:13 “Development of a test method for fire detection in road tunnels”
• SP Rapport 2013:58 “e-fordons Potentiella Riskfaktorer vid Trafikskadehändelse”
• SP Report 2012:05 “Full-scale fire tests with a commuter train in a tunnel”
• SP Report 2011:55 “Runehamar Tunnel Fire Tests”
• SP Report 2011:22 “Testing active fire protection systems for engine compartments in buses and coaches – a pilot study”
• SP Report 2010:64 “Fire test with a front wheel loader rubber tyre”
• SP Report 2009:08 “Design fire for a train compartment”
• SP Report 2008:41 “Bus Fire Safety”
• SP Report 2008:33 “Large-scale fire tests in a passenger cabin”
• SP Report 2006:59 “Fire Safety in Buses – WP2 report: Fire safety review of interior materials in buses”
• SP Report 2006:26 “Fire Safety in Buses – WP1 report: Bus and coach fires in Sweden and Norway”
• SP Report 1990:45 “Fires in buses and trains, fire test methods”

The following projects related to vehicle fire safety are currently active:

• BREND 2.0, toxic gases from electric vehicles and risks with gas vehicles
• LASH FIRE, Legaslative assessment for safety hazards of fire and innovations in ro-ro ship environment
• ENSAF, Energy- and safety diagnostics for decision support for underground mines
• FIREM-II: Fire and Rescue in Mines II