31 Oct Parking’s electric shift

Eiad Shami, Principle Fire and Life Safety Consultant, WSP Middle East, considers the remediation of existing car parks to accommodate electric vehicles.

The global shift toward electric mobility is no longer a speculative forecast, it is a present-day transformation. With governments pushing for decarbonisation, manufacturers phasing out internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and green infrastructure policies advancing, electric vehicles (EVs) are now becoming the dominant occupants of parking facilities in cities worldwide. This transition, however, introduces a profound fire and life safety challenge: existing car parks were never designed for the unique risks posed by EVs.

Recent fire events involving electric vehicles and battery energy storage systems (BESS) have underscored the severity of thermal runaway, smoke toxicity, re-ignition and suppression limitations in real-world settings. From EV fires in underground parking structures to charging station malfunctions in residential towers, each incident contributes to a growing consensus among fire professionals.

Legacy car parks require urgent remediation to remain safe now they face a new hazard profile, compliant and operationally resilient.

The EV fire risk landscape

Lithium-ion batteries under abuse conditions can enter thermal runaway, releasing flammable electrolytes, generating extreme heat, and creating self-sustaining fires. A single cell failure can cascade through an entire pack, exceeding 1,100°C, and producing toxic gases. Unlike ICE fires, which are localised, EV fires engulf the whole vehicle and produce dense, toxic smoke.

The invisible onset of EV fires and latent re-ignition risk after suppression are particularly dangerous in underground or poorly ventilated structures, where escape routes can be compromised quickly.

Legacy car park limitations

Most car parks built before 2020 were not intended to host EVs or charging infrastructure. Key limitations include:

• Lack of fire-rated separation between charging areas and building cores.
• Outdated detection systems relying solely on smoke detection.
• Low-capacity sprinkler or standpipe systems with no consideration of lithium-ion suppression needs.
• Limited ventilation rates that are designed to address CO₂ control, especially in basement levels.
• No integrated gas detection or toxic fume extraction.
• No zoning control, allowing mixed use of ICE and EVs side-by-side.

Moreover, emergency procedures and maintenance remain optimised for ICE risks and are ill-equipped for EV hazards, even as operators promote EVs by allocating prime parking near asset entrances.

Real-world incidents highlight the risk

Several recent global fire events offer critical lessons:

• Stuttgart, Germany (2022): An EV caught fire in an underground car park, filling multiple basement levels with smoke. Suppression took hours, and re-ignition occurred during vehicle extraction.
• Shanghai, China (2021): A charging station malfunction caused a battery fire in a commercial building’s car park, leading to partial structural collapse.
• Arizona, USA (2019): A lithium-ion battery system exploded during suppression operations, severely injuring four firefighters. While not a vehicle fire, the battery dynamics mirrored EV hazards.

These events reinforce the importance of both physical system upgrades and emergency planning modifications tailored to EVs.

Most car park fire design assumptions stem from 1970s–80s ICE vehicles with lower plastics and fuel loads. Modern cars, with higher polymer content, drive faster fire growth, higher heat release and more smoke, even before EV hazards are considered. Events like the Liverpool Arena fire (2017)  and Luton Airport collapse (2023) show current design parameters are already outdated.

Strategies for fire and life safety remediation

To transition existing car parks into future-ready infrastructure, remediation strategies should be both holistic and phased, accounting for fire science, code compliance and operational resilience.

Zoning and fire compartmentation

• Designate dedicated EV charging zones, located near exits and away from vertical shafts, mechanical rooms, or building cores.
• Install fire-rated barriers or enclosures around charging areas, especially when installed in enclosed or basement zones.
• Use thermal separation and spacing between chargers and vehicle bays to limit lateral fire spread.
• Apply post-installed fire barriers where feasible, such as suspended fire-rated ceilings or concrete block enclosures.

Detection and early warning systems

Given the silent onset of thermal runaway, enhanced detection is vital. Detection systems should be selected based on location type, ventilation conditions and fire risk profile.

Recommended (baseline for EV zones):

• Multi-criteria detectors (smoke + heat)
  • Especially in areas where ventilation may delay traditional smoke detection.
  • Offers better immunity to nuisance alarms compared to single-technology detectors.
• Air sampling detection systems (e.g., VESDA)
  • Useful in enclosed or poorly ventilated underground levels, where early smoke particles may accumulate before a fire is visible.
  • Recommended if ceiling heights and obstructions reduce effectiveness of point detectors.

Optional (project-specific enhancements):

• Thermal imaging cameras or infrared sensors
  • Only in high-density EV charging clusters or where EV turnover is high (e.g., public or fast-charging facilities).
  • Supports continuous temperature monitoring of battery packs; not usually needed in low-volume private car parks.
• Hydrogen fluoride (HF) or CO detectors
  • Recommended in underground or semi-enclosed car parks where smoke control is limited and vented battery gases may accumulate.
  • Should be integrated with mechanical ventilation control.

While HF and CO gas detectors are increasingly used in battery energy storage systems (BESS) to identify early stages of thermal runaway, this approach has not yet been widely adapted to car park environments despite their clear relevance.

Suppression systems

While sprinklers contain vehicle fires, they fall short for lithium-ion events. EV zones should use higher-density heads, supplemented by water mist or fog systems, remote charging shutoffs and drainage with oil-water separators. Alternatives like foams or inert gases may help but require compatibility checks.

Smoke control and ventilation

Because smoke inhalation causes most fire fatalities, EV car parks should provide 10–12 ACH ventilation, detection-linked extraction fans, HF/CO/VOC monitoring, pressurised egress routes and backup power for life safety systems.

Passive protection: structural and compartmentation elements

Concrete car parks resist fire, but EV heat can still cause spalling and steel deformation. Protection should include coatings on structural elements, retrofitted barriers, sealed voids and regular inspection of passive systems.

Operational safety measures and emergency planning

Operational readiness is as vital as infrastructure. EV charging should be limited to supervised hours, with inspections, thermography and fire drills built into routine practice. Coordination with civil defence, digital sharing of layouts and team training on suppression, battery risks and evacuation complete the framework.

Codes, standards and the future of regulation

Remediation should align with current and emerging codes, including but not limited to:

• Saudi Building Code (SBC 201) and Saudi Fire Code (SBC 801)
• NFPA 88A – Parking Structures
• NFPA 855 – Energy Storage Systems
• UL 9540A – Battery Fire Testing Methodology
• IEC 61851 / NEC 625 – EV Charging Installations
• SFPE Fire Risk Index Tools for Lithium-Ion Batteries

As regulations evolve, it is anticipated that EV-specific clauses will become codified in national standards; remediation should be designed with forward compliance in mind.

From legacy to future-ready

The rise of EVs is inevitable, but the preparedness of our infrastructure is not. Car parks once considered low risk, now face an emerging class of hazards that demand proactive remediation. Integrating fire engineering design, system upgrades and operational excellence is no longer optional, it is critical for life safety, property protection and business continuity.

By adopting a future-ready approach, asset owners and designers can not only safeguard their facilities but contribute to a safer, smarter and more resilient urban environment. The investment in safety today is a safeguard for tomorrow’s mobility.