Evaluating Fire Severity in Electric Vehicles and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles: A Statistical Approach to Heat Release Rates

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive statistical analysis of heat release rate (HRR) profiles in electric vehicles (EVs) and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, addressing fire safety challenges in performance-based design. Using experimental data, key parameters such as peak heat release rate (PHRR), time to peak heat release rate (TPHRR), total heat released (THR), and growth coefficients were analysed. Results reveal that EVs, exhibit distinct fire dynamics, often displaying higher PHRR values than ICE vehicles, which highlights the potential for greater fire intensity and growth rates in EV fires. A design fire model was constructed based on this analysis, offering fire engineers a probabilistic alternative to conventional deterministic approaches for simulating vehicle fire scenarios in various infrastructural contexts. This probabilistic approach provides a more flexible framework for decision-making in fire risk assessments. Additionally, the study observed a correlation between larger battery sizes and increased fire severity in EVs, though this should be interpreted cautiously given the limited dataset. This work highlights the importance of adapting fire safety standards to keep pace with advancements in vehicle technology, especially with the growing prevalence of EVs. Future research should aim to expand the dataset with more diverse experiments to enhance the robustness of design fire models, supporting the development of tailored fire safety strategies for different vehicle types across various environments.