Renault opens 'Fireman Access' electric vehicle firefighting technology to all manufacturers
Renault Group has developed the 'Fireman Access' fire suppression system for electric vehicles, which promises to significantly reduce the time and water consumption required to extinguish a battery fire, and is now opening it up to other vehicle manufacturers.
Here's What We Know
The Fireman Access system, fitted to all Renault Group electric and plug-in hybrid models, is claimed to extinguish fires on electric vehicles in minutes, compared to several hours using current methods. It also uses 10 times less water.
The design involves the placement of an adhesive disc that is placed over a hole in the vehicle's battery pack and displaced by the pressure of a fire hose, allowing water to quickly spread to all the cells inside. Renault claims this is the only quick and effective way to stop thermal runaway.
By introducing the Fireman Access system into its current electric and PHEV models, the Renault Group has opened up free access to the patents through a free licence so that other companies can use it themselves. More technical information on the matter can be found on the French carmaker's website.
