As in the rest of the world, the use of electric vehicles in Turkey is increasing day by day. In 2015, there were only 565 registered electric cars in Turkey; by the end of April 2026, this figure had approached 400,000, and it is expected to reach 1.5 million by 2030. The growing number of electric vehicles is also creating a new threat, because fires involving these vehicles can have highly dangerous consequences. So why does electric vehicle fire risk pose such a serious danger? How is it different from fires involving other vehicles? What are the challenges associated with electric vehicle fires? In this article, we will explore the answers to these important questions together.
Electric vehicles and charging systems have become a common part of modern urban life. For this reason, awareness of electric vehicle fires also needs to increase. After an accident, an electric vehicle may look calm from the outside. The lights may be off, the vehicle may not be running, and there may be no visible flames. However, this appearance does not mean that the high-voltage battery is safe. If the impact has reached the battery pack, modules, or cells in particular, the vehicle may still carry a risk of fire and re-ignition even hours after the accident. For this reason, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends treating the high-voltage system of a damaged electric vehicle as energized and keeping the damaged vehicle away from combustible materials. The first priority, therefore, is to bring the source of energy creating the electric vehicle fire risk under control. This requires assessing battery damage, moving the vehicle to a suitable area, isolating its surroundings, monitoring its temperature, and, where necessary, using specialized equipment such as fire limitation blankets.
Why Does Fire Risk in Electric Vehicles Continue After an Accident?
The most important reason is that while the effects of a collision may be visible on the vehicle body, the main risk can remain hidden underneath the vehicle. Because high-voltage batteries in electric vehicles are generally positioned close to the floor, impacts to the underbody, battery enclosure, or connection points must be assessed very carefully. If one of the cells in a lithium-ion battery is mechanically damaged, an internal short circuit may occur. This can cause the cell to heat up and trigger the uncontrolled heating process known as thermal runaway, which may then affect neighboring cells. A second serious issue is that flammable and toxic gases are released during thermal runaway, and the fire can intensify when propagation occurs from cell to cell. In addition, the fact that the vehicle’s electronic system is disabled does not mean the battery is completely de-energized. Even if the high-voltage system has been shut down, electrical energy may remain in the battery cells or high-voltage components. This energy, known as “stranded energy,” should be taken into account when assessing the risk of reheating and re-ignition together with ongoing thermal events in damaged cells.
Battery Damage, Delayed Thermal Runaway, and Re-Ignition
One of the situations most often misinterpreted in the field is the assumption, “The vehicle is not burning now, so the danger has passed.” However, a thermal event in a mechanically damaged battery may not begin immediately, or the battery may re-ignite even after it appears to have been extinguished. In particular, the following three stages should be distinguished from one another:
| Stage | What may occur? | Risk |
| Early post-accident period | Mechanical damage to a cell, module, or battery enclosure | Hidden short circuit and heating |
| Onset of thermal runaway | Uncontrolled rise in cell temperature and gas release | Fire and formation of toxic/flammable gases |
| After the fire | Residual energy inside the battery and damaged cells | Re-ignition |
Because of this threat, a post-accident electric vehicle fire risk assessment should not focus only on visible flames or smoke. Temperature trends, sounds coming from the battery area, odor, gas release, coolant leakage, and body deformation should be evaluated together. The vehicle manufacturer’s emergency response guide is the primary reference in this process, because battery placement, high-voltage shutdown procedures, and towing or transport conditions can vary from model to model. Touching damaged high-voltage components or attempting to dismantle the system at random can create risks of electrical arcing and electric shock in addition to the fire hazard.
How Can Fire Risk Be Identified in Damaged Electric Vehicles?
Post-accident risk assessment in electric vehicles should not be reduced to a simple “fire/no fire” decision. In vehicles that have sustained a heavy impact, the direction of temperature change is especially important. For example, if the temperature in the battery area has risen from 25 °C to 30 °C, that value alone does not indicate a fire; however, if repeated measurements show that the temperature continues to rise, the trend should be taken seriously. It is not a safe approach for personnel to open the hood of a suspicious vehicle and check it by touching cables, the battery enclosure, or orange high-voltage cables. The fact that the vehicle is not running does not mean that no electrical energy remains in the damaged high-voltage system. Therefore, if any of the following signs are observed after an accident, the vehicle should be assessed more closely:
- Temperature in the battery area that is elevated or continues to rise
- Whitish/gray smoke or vapor-like gas release
- A sharp, chemical, or electrolyte-like odor
- Hissing, crackling, or other sounds from inside the battery that may indicate gas venting
- Swelling, deformation, or impact marks on the battery enclosure
- Coolant leakage
- A battery area that has previously burned but is heating up again.
How Should an Electric Vehicle Be Moved to a Safe Area After an Accident?
Moving an electric vehicle to a safe area after an accident is not simply a matter of a tow truck transporting it from one point to another. Where the vehicle is taken, how it is positioned, and how long it is monitored afterward are all direct parts of fire safety when battery damage is present. NHTSA recommends keeping damaged electric vehicles at least 50 feet, or approximately 15 meters, away from buildings, other vehicles, and combustible materials. However, this distance alone does not guarantee safety in every incident. If the vehicle is producing smoke, showing a rapid temperature increase, or displaying signs of an active thermal event, the controlled area should be expanded according to the conditions of the incident. In other words, “moving the vehicle to a safe place” and “safely isolating the vehicle” are not the same thing. In this context, having a predetermined quarantine area for damaged vehicles can significantly reduce decision-making confusion during an incident, especially for service centers, fleets, and parking facilities.
What Is Preventive Isolation?
Preventive isolation is not a firefighting action carried out after a fire has started. It refers to the set of measures used to limit the hazard around a vehicle that has no visible flames yet but carries an electric vehicle fire risk due to battery damage. Three different aspects should be distinguished here:
- Electrical Safety
Electrical safety refers to managing the risk of contact with the high-voltage system and its components in accordance with the manufacturer’s procedures.
- Physical Isolation
Physical isolation involves separating the vehicle from personnel, other vehicles, and structures.
- Limiting Fire Spread
This involves using fire limitation blankets to limit the spread of possible flames, hot gases, and radiant heat to the surrounding area.
This distinction is important in the field. Using fire limitation blankets to cover a vehicle does not mean that the high-voltage system has been de-energized. Likewise, moving the vehicle to an open area does not eliminate the possibility of a battery fire. Nivofire Fire Limitation Blankets, which are used by many fire departments in Turkey, are used as an effective solution for electric vehicle fires. In particular, the Alpha Fire Limitation Blanket manufactured by the company can withstand temperatures of up to 2,500 degrees and has a continuous operating temperature of 1,500 degrees.
Can Fire Limitation Blankets Be Used Before a Fire Starts in an Electric Vehicle?
Yes. When the appropriate product is used in the correct scenario, fire limitation blankets can also be deployed before visible flames appear. However, this should not be interpreted to mean that “every damaged electric vehicle should be covered with a blanket.” In situations where personnel would need to approach a vehicle suspected of thermal runaway, human safety must be evaluated first. If there is a rapid temperature increase, smoke, gas release, or abnormal sounds from the battery area, uncontrolled intervention may increase the risk. The primary function of fire limitation blankets is not to stop the thermal reaction inside the battery, but to limit the impact of a potential fire on the surroundings by restricting flames, hot gases, and radiant heat. For this reason, fire limitation blankets for electric vehicles should be considered together with a quarantine area and monitoring procedure. Even after a vehicle has been covered with fire limitation blankets, the energy remaining inside the battery may still create a risk of re-ignition.
Capabilities and Limitations of Fire Limitation Blankets
When evaluating fire limitation blankets, the intended function of the product should be distinguished from the protection it can provide.
| Intended Purpose | Contribution Fire Limitation Blankets Can Provide | Limitation |
| Limiting flame spread | Helps prevent flames from reaching nearby vehicles. | Does not stop thermal runaway inside the battery |
| Limiting radiant heat | May help reduce the heat load on nearby objects | Does not reduce the battery’s internal temperature |
| Controlling hot gases | Can limit the spread of fire effects to the surrounding area | Does not eliminate the gases produced, but can help limit their spread to the surroundings |
| Re-ignition | Can reduce the impact of renewed flames on the surroundings | Does not eliminate the possibility of re-ignition |
| Response process | Can provide additional time for professional crews to intervene and support a safer response. | Does not replace fire service intervention |
Nivofire Electric Vehicle Fire Limitation Blankets
Nivofire offers a domestic solution in this field with fire limitation blankets developed as Turkey’s first and only domestic solution brand for electric vehicle fires. Nivofire fire limitation blankets are resistant to high temperatures, reusable, and environmentally friendly; they help bring fires in electric and hybrid vehicles under control and limit the spread of flames and toxic gases to the surrounding area. Product options for different use cases can be considered for service centers, parking facilities, charging stations, fleets, and emergency response teams.
