Title: Firefighting Considerations for Electric Vehicles: Tesla

Instructor: Danny Braitsch

Time: 1.5 hours

Equipment: PowerPoint Presentation: Firefighting Considerations for Electric Vehicles: Tesla Video Presentations (See Linked)

Enabling Objectives:  At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to discuss the importance of continuing education on advancements of motor vehicle and their technology, including electric motor vehicles (e.g. Tesla Motors), as this industry continues to grow in popularity.  At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to describe the unique considerations an emergency responder should account for when responding to an emergency involving an electric vehicle, particularly a Tesla brand electric vehicle.  At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to understand the importance of and demonstrate the ability to disable the high voltage system and de-energize the vehicle.  At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to discuss the unique considerations an emergency responder should be aware of when responding to a vehicle extrication or fire involving a Tesla electric vehicle.  At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to describe the potential hazardous materials considerations that may arise in an emergency involving a Tesla electric vehicle.

Overview: I) Electric Vehicles A) What are they? How prevalent are they? Where are they being sold? II) Tesla Motors: Up and Coming III) First Responder Considerations to Tesla Vehicle Emergencies A) Disabling the High Voltage System B) Extrication Considerations C) Fire Considerations D) Hazardous Materials Considerations IV) Video Presentations V) More Resources

Lesson Plan: I) Electric Vehicles: Vehicles of the Future A) Electric Vehicles (EVs) are vehicles propelled by electric motors that are powered by rechargeable batteries. Similarly, plug-in hybrid vehicles are run by electric power, but have a supplemental gasoline engine in the event the battery powered electric engine runs out of charge. Because EVs are not equipped (as Hybrids are) with supplemental gasoline-powered engines, they have more space for a larger battery, and thus a longer battery life. B) Electric Vehicles in the United States 1) Electric Vehicle sales in the United States are second highest in the world, second only to China. 2) The market for Electric Vehicles continues to grow, reaching cumulative EV sales of approximately 542,000 in 2016. C) Where are Electric Vehicles being sold? 1) California, Georgia, and Washington boast the highest number of EVs on the road, while Utah, Nevada, and North Carolina are seeing the highest growth in EV sales. 2) Washington D.C. ranks upon top ten Metro areas with highest numbers of EVs in operation.

II) Tesla: Up and Coming A) Tesla dominates the electric vehicle market, with their Model S and Model X all-electric vehicles ranking within the top ten highest in sales in 2016. Model S was the top selling electric vehicle two years in a row. B) Tesla intends to launch a more affordable Model 3 all-electric vehicle for consumers.

III) First Responder Considerations to Tesla Vehicle Emergencies A) Unique Hazards 1) Electric Vehicles pose unique hazards on an emergency incident. 2) Electric engines are built and powered much differently than the more-common and standard gasoline-powered engines that first responders are most familiar with. 3) Tesla and other electric vehicle manufacturers have developed emergency response guides for first responders to review in order to safely and efficiently mitigate emergencies involving electric vehicles. These guides can be accessed at the following link: https://www.tesla.com/firstresponders. B) Disabling the High Voltage System 1) Tesla Model S and Model X electric vehicles have labeled “cut-loops” for emergency responders to easily access (a) Located under the front hood on passenger side for Model S and Model X EVs (b) Double Cut cut-loop on Model S and Model X electric vehicles to cut high voltage energy supply to the vehicle (c) Once deactivated, the high voltage circuit may take approximately 2 minutes to deplete (d) In earlier Tesla Model S vehicles (2014, 2015), the vehicle is equipped with a “first responder disconnect point” (i) Located at the rear pillar of the vehicle on the driver’s side (ii) Shuts down the high voltage system and will disable both the SRS and airbag components (iii) Used if cutting front trunk cut loop is not available (iv) Manufacturer recommends using a 12” circular saw to cut 6 inches through the label and into the pillar (v) Not the first or best choice for disabling high voltage system (vi) May pose unnecessary physical risk to backseat passengers 2) Tesla Roadster 1.5 is equipped with an Emergency Disconnect (a) Located under the trunk above the rear passenger wheel (b) Once deactivated, the high voltage circuit may take approximately 5 minutes to deplete 3) Tesla Roadster 2.0 and 2.5 are both equipped with an Emergency Disconnect (a) Located under the hood on the driver’s side (b) Once deactivated, the high voltage circuit may take approximately 5 minutes to deplete 4) Note that Tesla vehicles, when running, make virtually no sound. Responders must be mindful to ensure the power is cut-off to the vehicle and should not assume that the power source has been secured based on lack of noise from the vehicle. C) Extrication Considerations 1) Stabilizing the Vehicle (a) For Tesla EVs, manufacturer recommends shifting the vehicle into park and chocking all wheels of the vehicle (b) In incidents involving a Tesla brand EV overturned or on-its-side, emergency responders must be mindful not to penetrate the High Voltage Battery (i) Located beneath the floor plan in all Model S and Model X models (ii) Located behind the seats in the trunk area for Tesla Roadster models 2) Lift Areas (a) For its Model S and Model X electric vehicles, Tesla designates “lift areas,” or safe areas in which the vehicle can be lifted or jacked, accounting for the high voltage battery located underneath the floor pan. (i) These lift areas are on the flanks of the vehicles on either driver or passenger side 3) Airbags (a) Similar to any vehicle, emergency responders must be mindful during extrication about the risk of cutting into airbags and airbag (stored gas) cylinders (b) Per Tesla Manufacturer Warning: (i) “The SRS control unit has a backup power supply with a discharge time of approximately ten seconds. Do not touch the SRS control unit within ten seconds of an airbag or pre-tensioner deployment.” 4) No-Cut Zones (a) Per Tesla Manufacturer Warning, the Model X and all Model S electric vehicles have areas that are defined as “’no-cut zones’ due to high voltage, gas struts, SRS components, airbags, or other hazards. Never cut or crush in these areas.” 5) Falcon-wing Doors (a) The Model X Tesla EV boasts falcon-wing doors. While other non-electric vehicles have similar features, it is imperative that emergency responders train and discuss with their companies to be prepared for unique circumstances. 6) Dash Displacement (a) For Model S and Model X vehicles, the DC-DC converter and front junction box are located in the area of the dash, either driver’s side, center, or passenger’s side. This may pose a hazard during dash lift/roll extrication procedures. Manufacturer recommends using work-around techniques if necessary. D) Fire Considerations 1) Emergency Responder Safety (a) If the electric vehicle is on fire and connected to a charging station, control utilities and ensure the power is off before applying water. Until utilities are secure, treat this scenario as a Class C fire. (b) Always assume the high voltage battery and all exposed orange cables are energized. (c) Wear full PPE including SCBA 2) Tesla EVs are not statistically more likely to ignite than any other vehicle on the road 3) Small fires that do not involve the high voltage battery may be extinguished using typical firefighting methods, being mindful not to make contact with the high voltage system or its components during overhaul procedures 4) High Voltage Battery fire involvement (a) May take up to 24 hours to extinguish, depending on extent of involvement. Consider requesting additional resources or letting the battery continue to burn while protecting exposures (b) Use a TIC to ensure the HV battery has cooled. Smoke or steam indicates continued presence of heat. (c) Per Tesla recommendation: (i) Do not release the vehicle to law enforcement or towing personnel until there has been no heating detected for one hour. (d) Due to risk of re-ignition, Tesla recommends storing the fire damaged vehicle in an open area at least 50ft from exposures E) Hazardous Materials Considerations 1) If the high voltage battery receives fire damage, it can release toxic vapors including sulfuric acid, oxides of carbon, nickel, aluminum, lithium, copper, and cobalt. Volatile phosphorous Penta fluoride may form at temperatures above 230o Fahrenheit. (a) Full PPE including SCBA recommended (b) Use fog streams and PPV fans to redirect these vapors if necessary 2) Lithium-ion Battery (a) The HV is comprised of lithium-ion cells, which are considered dry cell batteries and if damage may leak a small amount of clear battery fluid 3) Components of the Tesla electric motors are liquid cooled with a glycol-based, blue- colored fluid, which may leak out if these components are damaged 4) Front carrier on the rear wheel drive Model S is magnesium

IV) Video Presentations A) See PowerPoint Presentation for supplemental video training material

V) More Resources A) While Tesla may be the face of the Electric Vehicle market, there are many other EVs on the road and it is important for first responders to make themselves familiar with the unique emergency response considerations for all. 1) NFPA Collection of Safety Manuals and First Responder Information on all EVs and Hybrid Vehicles: http://www.evsafetytraining.org/resources/auto-manufacturer- resources.aspx 2) NFPA Alternative Fuel Vehicles Safety Training Program - Emergency Field Guide available online for free for continuing education Review: I) Electric Vehicles a. What are they? How prevalent are they? Where are they being sold? II) Tesla Motors: Up and Coming III) First Responder Considerations to Tesla Vehicle Emergencies a. Disabling the High Voltage System b. Extrication Considerations c. Fire Considerations d. Hazardous Materials Considerations IV) Video Presentations V) More Resources