Should we be worried about battery fires?
Many people considering buying an electric vehicle are concerned about the risk of battery fire. This is understandable. Who wants to buy a car likely to catch fire? News reports dramatically highlight the dangers of battery fires, which are harder to extinguish than other fires.
Should we really be worried about EV fires? The answer is a resounding no. It is quite rare for electric vehicles to catch fire. In fact, they are substantially less likely to catch fire than internal combustion (ICE), vehicles.
At the start of 2025, there had been 10 EV battery fires in Australia, while in normal use. 4 of those fires occurred as the result of major damage to the battery pack through collision, 5 were exposed to an external fire and only 1 connected to charging at the time of the fire.
Research into vehicle fires in Australia concluded that EV passenger vehicles have a 0.0012 per cent chance of catching fire, while ICE vehicles petrol or diesel), have a 0.1 percent chance of catching fire.
Almost all EV battery fires resulted from damage to the battery pack, usually after a collision. Euro NCAP tests (the leading European crash test authority), reported that EVs are safer in crashes than ICE vehicles. So, the results are in – electric vehicles are safe to use. Not only are they highly unlikely to catch fire, they are also safer vehicles all round and less likely to suffer major damage in a collision.
The real concern – our devices and appliances
Of greater concern are lithium battery fires in household appliances, phones and electric scooters. Even small items, such as mobile phones can cause house fires, as well as fires in waste trucks and in landfill sites. These fires are becoming more frequent and generally happen when either the battery or the battery charger is faulty. Modified items, such as scooters or cheap, low-quality or damaged batteries or chargers are usually the cause of fires.
How to avoid battery fires
There are some basic safety steps to avoid battery fires.
Buy quality products which meet Australian standards – avoid cheap imitation products
- Use the correct charger
- Use batteries and chargers according to the manufacturer’s instructions
- Charge when you are home
- Disconnect the item once charged
- Charge on a non-flammable surface
- Stop charging if the device gets hot
- Don’t charge damaged batteries
It is essential that all batteries are treated with care. In EVs, we need to have any damage from collision assessed before we continue to charge and use the car. If we use electric bikes and scooters, we need to make sure they, and any charging equipment, are reputable, safe brands. With household batteries, including appliances with built-in batteries, we need to dispose of them at proper disposal sites. Batteries should never be put in the bin. Banyule City Council has a listing of free battery drop-off points throughout Banyule on the Council website: [https://www.banyule.vic.gov.au/Waste-environment/Waste-recycling/Disposing-of-e-waste]
References
Essential information about electric vehicle (EV) fire safety – VESR January 23, 2025
https://www.vesr.gov.au/news/essential-information-about-electric-vehicle-ev-fire-safety
Lithium-ion battery safety: take charge – Queensland Fire Department
https://www.fire.qld.gov.au/safety-education/battery-and-charging-safety/lithium-ion-battery-safety
How many electric cars actually catch fire? We ask the experts. Drive, 17 December 2023
https://www.drive.com.au/caradvice/how-many-electric-cars-have-caught-fire-australia/
Fact: EVs are as safe as petrol and diesel vehicles – Australian Government
https://www.energy.gov.au/electric-vehicles/electric-vehicle-basics/electric-vehicle-facts
Critics Say EVs Are A Fire Hazard. Here’s What The Latest Data Shows – Inside EVs, Aug 4, 2025
https://insideevs.com/news/767908/ev-fire-safety-data-2025/
How much of a fire risk are electric vehicles? Autocar – 1 April, 2025
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/electric-cars/how-much-fire-risk-are-electric-vehicles
EVs Now Dominate Europe’s Crash Safety Charts – Inside EVs, Jan 16 2025
https://insideevs.com/news/784631/ev-euro-ncap-safety-best-2025/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPXqypleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFnN1JtY2VFRFRIVUgzbm5Xc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHpTd6Udh1Hu_zGLab4bWhPVfm0KA8hmrtqWDZ7cUtbL0cbdHuDjimL1L3LYg_aem_9KutPTrlbT8-9Ap-X3aonA
Calls for greater public awareness about battery dangers after fires at regional landfill sites – ABC News Jan 16, 2025
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-16/battery-tip-fires-public-awareness-landfill-sites-disposal/106231770
Written by Paul Gale-Baker
January 2026
(NOTE: caption for image: Non-EV car fire)