Electric vehicles offer numerous advantages, including zero tailpipe emissions, instant torque, quiet operation, and the convenience of home charging. However, EVs aren’t without their drawbacks, and a recent incident in a Chicago-area community has led to a reassessment of its infrastructure plans.
According to a CBS Chicago report, the town of Rosemont, Illinois, located near O’Hare Airport, has temporarily halted the installation of electric vehicle chargers in its parking structures. This decision stems from an electric vehicle fire that occurred at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago mall in January 2024. The blaze required hours to extinguish and necessitated a specialized fire blanket.
This news may frustrate EV drivers, who already face challenges in finding reliable public charging stations. Battery fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish. Fire experts often recommend allowing them to burn out due to the risk of reignition of damaged battery packs.
Beyond the difficulty of putting out the fire, the fires burn at high heat. Structural damage to buildings or parking garages is also possible if things get out of control. Smoke from such incidents also releases toxic fumes a building’s occupants or rescue workers would do well to avoid.
In response to the incident, the Rosemont Village Board and Mayor Brad Stephens implemented a temporary ban on new EV charger installations within parking structures. “You just want to make sure that your community is safe,” Stephens stated. The mayor added, “That’s what this is all about.” It remains to be seen whether other municipalities will follow suit.
This is a concerning development for EV owners. The scarcity of public chargers, coupled with their frequent use, can significantly impact the ownership experience. The placement of EV chargers in packed, multi-story parking garages presents a heightened fire risk. A problem with one charger or an EV battery could quickly cause a fire that spreads rapidly to nearby vehicles. Also, an EV fire in a parking structure poses significant danger to pedestrians and could result in severe structural damage.
However, according to Consumer Affairs, the Swedish Authority for Social Protection and Preparedness reported only 24 EV fires in 2023. This represents a fire rate of just 0.004%. In comparison, gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles had a fire rate of 0.08%, a rate 20 times higher. Although EV fires can be particularly dangerous, they may be less common than fires in internal combustion engine vehicles.
