Fires on container ships and car ferries are extinguished with CO2 gas. If an e-car is on fire, it won’t work.
According to the German insurers, ferries should be equipped with other extinguishing systems to provide better protection in the event of fires in electric vehicles. The currently used CO2-based technology is not sufficient for a burning battery, as the General Association of the German Insurance Industry (GDV) explains. Systems with high-pressure water mist are more suitable.Fire feeds on itselfThe reason for the industry representatives to speak is the transport stop for electric cars recently imposed by the Norwegian shipping company Havila Kystruten. According to the GDV, e-cars do not burn more often, but differently than conventional vehicles. The extinguishing technology used today, smothering the fire with CO2 gas, does not work with a lithium-ion battery. In addition to toxic gases, the fire itself releases oxygen, which keeps the fire going. The insurance industry has been demanding better fire protection on ships for years. According to the association, the extinguishing systems are still the same as they were 50 years ago and have not kept pace with the size development and the fire loads of the ships. (SPX)
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