At a time when the electric vehicle industry is booming, its safety has always been the focus of consumers and the industry. On February 20, 2025, Renault Group announced the development of a new fire extinguishing system for electric vehicles, and the opening of related patents to the global automotive industry through free licensing, an innovative technology that is expected to bring a qualitative leap in the safety of electric vehicles.
1. Technical principles and innovation
Renault's Firefighter Access System is at the heart of this innovation. The system consists of a viscous disc that covers the opening of the battery. When a fire breaks out, the pressure of the fire tube causes the disc to fall off, allowing water to quickly penetrate all the cells inside the battery. The key to this design is its ability to introduce water directly into the battery, rapidly cooling the battery cells and preventing further thermal runaway. Renault called the technology "the only quick and effective" way to prevent thermal runaway.
Traditional fire extinguishing methods have many limitations when confronted with electric vehicle fires. Because batteries do not require oxygen for combustion, traditional asphyxiation extinguishing methods are ineffective, often requiring large amounts of water to extinguish the flames, which can take up to several hours. Renault's new system extinguishes the fire in just a few minutes and uses one-tenth the amount of water used by traditional methods. For example, an experiment by the Shanghai Fire Research Institute showed that a power battery can quickly ignite once it has a thermal failure, and it takes only 6 seconds from ignition to the peak of combustion, while it takes up to 3 minutes to completely extinguish the fire, during which the internal temperature can be as high as 916°C. Renault's fire extinguishing system significantly reduces this time and improves fire extinguishing efficiency.
Pictured: Renault Electric Vehicle Fire Extinguishing Patent: Extinguishing the Fire in a Few Minutes
2. Renault's patent advantages for fire extinguishing of electric vehicles
Fire extinguishing time: Renault's new system is capable of extinguishing EV battery fires in minutes, compared to hours that traditional methods can take. This time difference is crucial in emergency situations to reduce the damage caused by fire to vehicles and the surrounding environment.
Water consumption: The new system uses only one-tenth of the water used by the existing method. In the case of an average electric car, which may require thousands of liters of water for traditional extinguishing methods, Renault's system only requires hundreds of liters of water to extinguish the fire. This not only saves water resources, but also reduces the burden on fire extinguishing equipment.
Safety: Battery fires also release toxic gases, such as fluoride, olefins, alkanes, ethers, etc., and there is a risk of re-ignition without warning after the fire is extinguished. Renault's fire suppression system improves overall safety by rapidly cooling the battery cells, reducing the likelihood of re-ignition.
3. Industry impact and significance
Pushing industry standards: Renault's open patents through free licensing to encourage other automakers to adopt the technology are helping to drive industry-wide advancements in EV safety technology. This openness demonstrates Renault's leadership in driving innovation in EV safety technology.
Improved safety: EV fires not only release toxic gases, but can also re-burn without warning after the fire has been extinguished, and burned EVs must be stored away from other vehicles and buildings. Renault's new system significantly improves the safety of electric vehicles and reduces the potential risk of fire.
Resource-saving: While traditional fire suppression methods require large amounts of water, Renault's systems use only one-tenth of the water used by conventional methods, resulting in significant water savings. This advantage is particularly important in the context of increasing water stress.
4. Expert views and industry reactions
Expert evaluation: Industry insiders believe that Renault's technology is a major breakthrough in the field of electric vehicle fire extinguishing, which can significantly improve fire extinguishing efficiency and reduce the harm caused by fire. Some experts pointed out that the opening of this technology will promote cooperation and innovation in the entire industry on electric vehicle safety technology.
Industry reaction: Several automakers have expressed interest in Renault's fire suppression systems and plan to incorporate the technology in future models. Fire departments have also welcomed the technology, believing that it will significantly improve the ability to respond to electric vehicle fires.
5. Future prospects
Renault's Firefighter Access System has not only achieved a major breakthrough in technology, but has also played an important role in promoting industry collaboration and innovation. By opening up its patents, Renault is demonstrating its leadership in the field of safety technology for electric vehicles while also setting new benchmarks for the industry as a whole. In the future, as more automakers adopt this technology, the safety of electric vehicles will be significantly improved, providing consumers with a safer and more reliable travel option.
Renault's innovative technology is expected to be widely used around the world to further improve the safety of electric vehicles. We look forward to seeing more automakers adopt similar technologies to drive safety in the EV industry.
