Volvo has built a reputation for safety and is still among the safest car brands. The company contributed to refilling the XC40 for the Boston City Fire Department. No, Boston firefighters will not drive Volvos. They will separate the car to better understand how an electric car fire works to learn how to deal with them.
This is not the first time Volvo has done this.
The XC40 Recharge was issued to the New York Fire Department last year for the same purpose: to educate the first participants about the use of electric vehicles. This fire can be especially dangerous because of the batteries, which often do not burn out once they burn for the first time, as well as the toxic nature of the battery cells.
Different approaches
According to Volvo, first aid providers need to adjust their extraction procedures in order to work safely around large EV batteries and high voltage cables. It’s like a very dangerous game of operation. It is no longer possible to use the jaws of life in a car, for the risk of causing a fire. Volvo says cars like the XC40 also use “high-strength steel” in their design, requiring more specific procedures for first responders to learn.
A mechanism that can be applied to other electric vehicles
The Swedish mansion also said the XC40 has built-in protection for first responders, and not just its occupants. The XC40 Recharge has a kind of “cage” for its battery, which has battery-free and cooled battery modules. The idea is to prevent leaks that often lead to the most dangerous fires you see when the electric car gets very hot. Volvo has also provided brightly colored wires for high-voltage car wires, as well as an easily accessible kill switch that first aid receivers can use to turn off a car.
With such well-planned procedures, perhaps the question should be asked: Should not first responders everywhere learn how to handle electric vehicles?
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about the author
Benoit Charette / Owner and editor Benoit Charette has been working in automotive journalism for 30 years. He is the founder, owner and editor-in-chief of L’Annuel de l’automobile, which he has published since 2001. He co-produced RPM and RPM + programs on V and Legends of the road on History. On radio since 1986, he runs the Ça tenu route route and participates for the second year in the Passion Auto program on RDS as well as setting up the official L’Annuel de l’automobile website online at annualauto.