Renault is pulling a Volvo and licensing safety tech to the rest of the industry for free. Ages ago, the Swedes famously created the three-point seatbelt and, rather than licensing it out to every other automaker for a big fat fee, they gave it away for free in the name of safety. Renault is taking a similarly noble path with its electric vehicle “Fireman Access” system, which helps firefighters put out battery fires much, much quicker.
EV battery fires are devastating. Studies show that EVs don’t catch fire as often as internal combustion cars, as some EV detractors might say, but when they do, the results are worse. Battery fires caused by thermal runaway burn extremely hot and don’t require oxygen, making them incredibly difficult to put out. Not only does it take tons of water and several hours to finally extinguish a battery fire but the fire can restart on its own, even hours after it’s been extinguished. Some fire departments have even turned to submerging burning EVs in dumpsters full of water and keeping them there for days sometimes to guarantee they stay out.
However, Renault’s patented system is as simple as it gets: An adhesive disk covers a hole in the battery pack. The disk is intentionally designed to be weak enough that it breaks under the pressure of a firehose and allows firefighters to flood the battery compartment with water.
According to Renault, using this method allows EV fires to be put out as quickly as a few minutes, instead of hours. As a consequence, Renault says this method uses 10 times less water.
“Innovating to improve road safety is part of who we are at Renault. We’re particularly proud of the partnership developed with the fire services in recent years. Fireman Access is a practical demonstration of what can be achieved by combining our expertise as a manufacturer with the skills of the men and women who keep us safe every day,” said Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo in a press release. “Today, I’m delighted to be making this innovation freely available, because when it comes to a subject like safety, we need to break down all the barriers. This move is also in keeping with the commitment made alongside the United Nations, to make mobility safer all over the world.”
All current Renault, Alpine, and even Dacia EVs and plug-in hybrids have Fireman Access ports. And perhaps in the future, all EVs and hybrids will have such a system, because Renault wants nothing but a “thank you” and a crisp high five in return for other automakers using this patent. It might not be as impactful as the three-pointed seatbelt but anytime an automaker does something for the good of vehicle safety over profits, they get a double thumbs up from me.
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