U.S. House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Electric Vehicle Fire Risks

During a recent hearing held by the U.S. House Science, Space & Technology Committee’s Investigations & Oversight Subcommittee, the fire risks presented by electric vehicles and how to handle them were discussed, according to a press release from the Automotive Service Association (ASA).

During the Feb. 29 hearing, Subcommittee Chairman Obernolte (R-CA) stated that EV fires can be more intense than those caused by internal combustion engine vehicles, spiking to temperatures much hotter and emitting toxic chemical gases. A lack of guidance and resources on the issue from the federal government was cited as something that needs to be improved.

Part of the hearing was dedicated to strategies for combatting EV fires. Subcommittee Ranking Member Foushee (D-NC) suggested pursuing further study into lithium-ion batteries: looking into why they have the reactions they do, if there are better ways to design the batteries, and developing tools and techniques to handle battery fires.

Dan Munsey, Fire Chief for the County of San Bernardino, California, was the first of two witnesses who spoke before the subcommittee. Munsey expressed concern for the safety of auto repairers and said that consumers must be informed on how to safely charge EVs and what modifications should be avoided.

The second witness, Dr. Judy Jevarajan, said that it may be viable to remotely access EV batteries to identify battery cells that are still active and to easily update its software. However, Dr. Jevarajan also pointed out potential cybersecurity risks with the idea.

Following the hearing, ASA Board of Directors Chairman Scott Benavidez commended the subcommittee for having a discussion on EV fires, highlighting the risks it poses to the auto repair industry, as well as how first responders could benefit from partnering with independent repair shops.

“Repairers possess high baseline expertise in automotive issues, which make us ideal partners for first responders trying to prevent or extinguish EV fires,” said Benavidez. “ASA calls on the federal government to coordinate with the independent automotive repair industry in its efforts to address the growing concerns surrounding fires caused by electric vehicles.”