Why P.E.I. firefighters are getting special training for EVs

P.E.I.'s firefighting school is now offering a special course in dealing with fires in electric vehicles.

Fires are more common in gas-powered vehicles, but when a fire does happen in an EV it presents some very different issues for firefighters, said chief fire instructor Shannon Dumville.

"It takes a large amount of water. Once the lithium-ion batteries begin to burn they burn intensely — high heat," said Dumville.

"Your average electrical vehicle could take 3,000 gallons [12,000 litres] of water to put it out."

That's about 10 times what would be required for a gas-powered vehicle. It means a change for how firefighters respond to vehicle accidents, sending out a tanker truck just in case an EV fire is part of the incident, which previously would not have been needed.

High voltage

Firefighters are also being trained how to extract people from electric vehicles.

"Lithium-ion batteries, they carry very high voltage,"said Dumville.

"After a motor vehicle collision if we actually have to get in and cut the car apart with the jaws we have to be very careful where we cut. We have to be sure where the high-voltage cables are going."

In most vehicles the cables are clearly marked by colour, he said.

About three quarters of fire departments on the Island have already received the six-hour training course, said Dumville.

Insurance calculations much the same.

While fires need to be treated differently in EVs, that doesn't necessarily translate to different insurance rates, said Gloria Haydock, manager of consumer and industry relations in the Atlantic region for the Insurance Bureau of Canada.  

Insurance rates will vary for each model, just as with gas-powered vehicles, she said.

'Costs of parts and repairs of a specific make and model, the safety rating for passengers in the event of an accident, frequency of theft, and the value of the vehicle," said Haydock.

"Basically the premiums will be calculated the exact same way."

She said, if there is an increase in frequency or severity of issues with makes of vehicles, the premiums will generally reflect that. 

But Haydock said, currently, insurers may offer a discount for EVs.

"The insurance industry recognizes that we need to be more green and we need to support the efforts that Canadians are putting forth to meet those goals."

It's always a good idea to shop around for insurance, she said.