Preventing Electric Vehicle Fires... Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Collaborate with Universities and Government Agencies

Development of Source and On-site Application Technologies
Research on Institutionalization Measures Also Underway

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia are partnering with the government and academia to jointly develop technology for detecting and responding to electric vehicle fires.

On the 18th, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia signed a "Joint Development Agreement for Firefighting Technology to Respond to Electric Vehicle Fires" with the National Fire Agency (Fire Research Institute) and the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers at EL Tower in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

Through this, they plan to continue comprehensive cooperation including ▲development of fundamental technologies ▲development of on-site application technologies ▲research on institutionalization measures to quickly detect and respond to electric vehicle fires.

In the fundamental technology development division, research on the characteristics of electric vehicles will be conducted mainly by universities. The goal is to secure data and lay the foundation for technology acquisition by studying the movement characteristics of electric vehicle fires, fire spread prediction, and guidelines for smoke control and ventilation in underground spaces when an electric vehicle fire occurs.

Various firefighting technologies will also be focused on for on-site application. When an electric vehicle fire occurs, technologies such as the "upward water spray system," which sprays water directly onto the battery from the floor of underground parking lots, application of fire extinguishing equipment in charging zones, and technology to detect fire characteristics based on fire video footage will be developed. Additionally, rapid fire detection and virtual reality (VR) training content for firefighters will also be developed.

In the institutionalization measures research division, operated under the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers, trends in electric vehicle fire suppression technology and efficient institutionalization measures will be studied.

Hyundai Motor Group will manage the overall tasks while actively supporting each research project with equipment, vehicles, and parts, and conducting various experiments together.

Yang Heewon, President of Hyundai Motor Company and Kia R&D Headquarters, stated, "The ultimate goal is for the developed firefighting technology outcomes not only to remain as simple technology development but also to promote legislation related to firefighting and construction." He added, "This collaboration will serve as a catalyst for safer use of electric vehicles."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.