Single-use fire blankets for electric cars
The Belgian automotive market has been constantly evolving for several years, with a significant increase in the share of electric and hybrid cars, which now represent 11% of the market and are recording annual growth of 50%.
This trend towards the rise of electric and hybrid vehicles is expected to accelerate in the coming years. It is therefore crucial to anticipate and prevent specific risks in terms of fire safety. For example, a damaged battery can spontaneously ignite and burn for several days, posing particular challenges in terms of safety.
In response to this growing demand, it is imperative to establish rigorous standards and certification protocols for fire blankets intended for these vehicles. With this in mind, ANPI has just published the ANPI Technical Notice NTN 187-L concerning single-use fire blankets for electric cars – see below.
What does the ANPI NTN 187-L Single-use fire blankets for electric cars contain?
This Technical Notice defines the requirements for the certification of fire blankets intended for electric vehicles, in accordance with ANPI and/or BENOR regulations. Its purpose is to define the scope, specific requirements and identification procedures to be implemented to ensure the conformity of the blankets with safety standards.
What are the important points of this Technical Notice?
Scope: ANPI NTN 187-L covers fire blankets for electric vehicles:
by distinguishing between single-use and multiple-use blankets (use by fire departments),
by focusing on single-use fire blankets,
multiple-use fire blankets can also be tested, but only for single use.
Normative References: EN 1869:2019 and EN 3-7+A1:2007 are referenced for fire blanket testing.
Product Identification/Marking: Detailed guidelines are provided for marking blankets and containers to ensure traceability and user guidance.
Compliance Verification: Test procedures are described to ensure that products meet safety and performance standards.
Construction: Specifications for blanket material, size, weight, and container design are detailed to ensure effectiveness and ease of use.
General Performance: Requirements for blanket flexibility, handling, and electrical resistance are specified.
Fire Performance: Test protocols are described regarding the CAR fire test performed on a real car setup.
Annexes: Conditions and test procedures for the CAR fire test and the heptane performance test are provided.
The rapid evolution of the market for fire blankets for electric vehicles, with many new products available each year, underscores the critical importance of a comprehensive Technical Notice including tests. This ensures that available products meet the defined safety and performance requirements, while providing consumers with assurance as to the reliability of these essential safety devices.
Thus, this Technical Notice aims to provide a complete list of requirements, as well as detailed test protocols, to evaluate and certify fire blankets for electric vehicles.
By providing clear criteria and quality standards, this Technical Notice serves as an essential reference for ensuring user safety and property protection against fires in the specific context of vehicles, particularly electric vehicles, where risks and challenges may be different from those of conventional combustion engine vehicles.
How can I get the ANPI NTN 187-L?
The ANPI NTN 187-L is available for purchase via our e-shop.
What is a fire blanket?
A fire blanket is a device made of a fire-resistant material (a substance that makes naturally combustible materials difficult to ignite) that can be used to fight battery fires in electric or hybrid cars. The objective of this blanket is to immediately control, smother, or extinguish the fire (by depriving it of oxygen) so that it does not spread, for example, to other vehicles.
The fire blanket represents the safest solution while waiting for firefighters.
How does a fire blanket work?
The fire blanket will act as a firebreak around the car, which will very quickly reduce smoke generation and prevent the spread of flames to the environment (parking lot, other electric vehicles, etc.).
Fire blanket pictogram
Pictograms can be placed to indicate the location of these fire blankets in parking areas or around electric vehicles.
