Prosol UK, the UK’s leading supplier of garage and workshop equipment and tools to the motor trade, has launched an electric vehicle fire blanket that has recently been demonstrated at Horiba MIRA.
Designed and developed in conjunction with a team of electric vehicle and fire safety experts, the ‘Fire Cloak’ Electric Vehicle Fire Blanket by Prosol UK is manufactured in Great Britain using the best available premium components.
Explains Prosol UK’s managing director, Andy Coulton: “We’ve invested significant time and money into researching and developing our ‘Fire Cloak’ Electric Vehicle Fire Blanket and are proud to have created a high-performance product that truly excels amongst its peers.
“Here at Prosol UK we have an unrivalled reputation for our range of electric vehicle safety products and, with the exponential rise of electric cars across the globe, we wanted to add a fire blanket specifically designed to mitigate electric vehicle fires to that portfolio.”
Manufactured from highly specialised materials and coatings, the ‘Fire Cloak’ Electric Vehicle Fire Blanket combines this high tec fabric engineering to deliver continuous temperature resistance up to 1,000°C and spikes up to 1,600°C.
Outlines Andy: “The most common form of fire in electric or hybrid vehicles arises if the high energy battery is damaged, or a manufacturing fault causes the battery to go into what is known as ‘thermal runaway’.
“Thermal runaway occurs when a cell short circuits and the heat generated starts a fire. This, in turn, creates a ‘domino effect’ and the fire spreads from cell to cell. The problem is that thermal runaway fires cannot be extinguished by conventional means.
“What’s more, the electrolyte typically found in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles usually contains hydrocarbon solvents which only serves to fuel the fire. If unchecked, an electric vehicle fire can produce extremely high temperatures along with highly toxic gases that can be fatal.”
Continues Andy: “One of the best ways to mitigate the effects of an electric vehicle fire is via the deployment of an electric vehicle car fire blanket. By covering the car with the blanket, the combustion potential can be minimised by depriving the fire of oxygen. And, because the fire is controlled, temperatures drop rapidly which prevents damage to surrounding vehicles and property.”
The capabilities of the ‘Fire Cloak’ Electric Vehicle Fire Blanket by Prosol UK were demonstrated in March at the HORIBA MIRA test facility in Nuneaton, with motor industry professionals from organisations including the Volkswagen Group, Direct Line and Continental present.
Comments Andy: “We’re delighted to be able to share the video of that demonstration and take this opportunity to thank Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service for doing an amazing job of deploying the blanket in such extreme circumstances.
“The video shows the electric vehicle reaching a temperature of at least 900°C. Once deployed, our ‘Fire Cloak’ Electric Vehicle Fire Blanket contained the fire thus minimising collateral damage and allowing time for fire service response. In the process, the fire temperature dropped to 47°C.
“I must stress that we would never advocate using the blanket on such a raging inferno. It is specifically designed to be used to quarantine vehicles in a suspected pre-fire condition.”
Measuring 8 x 6 metres and weighing 24kg, the ‘Fire Cloak’ Electric Vehicle Fire Blanket by Prosol UK is competitively priced with significant discounts available for quantity purchases.
Concludes Andy: “Electric vehicle fires are only set to become more common as more of us switch from traditional petrol and diesel cars. From garages, charging points, shopping centres and car parks to ferry operators, recovery services, airports and road tunnels, having a ‘Fire Cloak’ Electric Vehicle Fire Blanket by Prosol UK to hand at various locations could mean the difference between effectively controlling an electric vehicle fire and experiencing widespread damage and, worst case scenario, loss of life.”
For more information about the ‘Fire Cloak’ Electric Vehicle Fire Blanket by Prosol UK, visit https://www.electricvehiclefireblanket.co.uk, call Mark Tamblyn on 07711 218880 or 0114 255 7700 or email: mark.t@prosol.co.uk