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SF to Consider New EV Charging Safety Rules as Lithium-Ion Batteries Pose Risk

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An electric vehicle charges at a public charging station near Polk Street and Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco, California, on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019. (Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

San Francisco Fire Marshal Ken Cofflin is proposing new safety regulations for electric vehicle charging stations as concerns grow over lithium-ion battery explosions during charging.

In 2024, the San Francisco Fire Department recorded approximately 15 incidents involving lithium-ion battery explosions across the city — not just in electric cars but also in scooters, bikes and even a leaf-blower.

Cofflin, who will present his proposal to the San Francisco Fire Commission on Wednesday, is urging the city to mandate advanced sprinkler systems for parking spaces equipped with electric vehicle charging stations to address the heightened fire risk.

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While existing codes already require fire-sprinkler protection, Cofflin’s proposal calls for increasing the water flow capacity of these systems, improving their ability to handle the fire risks from lithium-ion battery incidents.

In his presentation notes, Cofflin emphasizes the need to update charging station standards, describing lithium-ion batteries and EV charging as “a potential high fire hazard condition.”

He also wrote that electric vehicles that charge in enclosed spaces, like parking garages, “significantly increase fire-life safety hazards to building occupants, structure, adjacent vehicles, and First Responders.”

Cofflin’s proposal comes at a crucial time, following the city receiving a $15 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, aimed at expanding and improving access to EV charging stations.

In a press release last week, the Office of the Mayor announced plans to expand the city’s current number of total charging ports by 30%, aiming to install 300 new charging stations citywide.

Lithium-ion batteries, when overheated or defective, are prone to exploding, causing a potential range of fires. A class-action lawsuit was filed this week against Chevron, a global provider of power tools, due to 100 reports of thermal incidents involving the company’s lithium-ion batteries.

In Monterey Bay County, a state of emergency was declared Tuesday night due to the Vistra Energy battery power storage facility fire in Moss Landing.

The plant, which is the largest lithium-ion battery storage facility in the world, could not be directly extinguished by crews, as lithium-ion battery fires burn at abnormally high temperatures and are difficult to put out.

While most lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicle charging purposes aren’t nearly as large or powerful as those in the Vistra Energy facility, their properties still pose a challenge for firefighters and other first responders.

Cofflin acknowledged this, highlighting the difficulty of “extinguishment of an inaccessible fire due to extreme temperatures and concealed batteries.”

San Francisco Fire Department Captain Jonathan Baxter also stressed the potential hazards surrounding lithium-ion batteries.

“While these batteries offer efficient power, mishandling, improper use, charging, or storage can lead to overheating, fires, and even explosions,” he wrote in an email.

Baxter said that overcharging, storing the batteries in direct sunlight and tears in the charging cables can all increase the risk of fire hazards.

“As lithium-ion batteries become more prevalent in our daily lives, it’s crucial to prioritize safety,” he said.

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