WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Zero Emission Transportation Association Education Fund (ZETA Education Fund) and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) published a new white paper today outlining opportunities to strengthen electric vehicle (EV) fire safety through established safety standards, improved fire data collection and greater collaboration among industry, policymakers and first responders.

Titled Safety in Strategy: Electric Mobility, Infrastructure, and Fire Risk Mitigation, the white paper synthesizes research from the United States, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Australia on vehicle fire frequency, examines existing safety codes and industry best practices, and identifies policy recommendations to support safer EV deployment.

The research finds that fires are significantly less common among EVs than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. At the same time, EV battery fires present distinct challenges that require continued attention to product design, safety standards, emergency response and firefighter training. This will continue to be a priority in the coming years, as the International Energy Agency projects that more than 450 million EVs will be on the road globally by 2035.

“Safety is integral to every aspect of the vehicle and electrical manufacturing supply chains,” said Albert Gore, Executive Director of ZETA. “As the market for EVs and batteries continues to grow in the United States and abroad, collaboration between industry, first responders, and policymakers ensures that new technologies continue to deliver safer outcomes for everybody.”

"As the adoption of EVs grow, so must our focus on the safety and emergency planning related to electrified transportation technologies,” NEMA President and CEO Debra Phillips said. “Preparedness is critical not only to ensuring readiness to respond to emergencies, but also to maintaining public confidence in the safety of these new technologies as they are deployed at scale. Our industry has spent decades developing the electrical standards that help protect people, property, and communities. By working closely with first responders, improving incident data reporting and collection, and providing practical, evidence-based guidelines to policymakers, we can ensure safety keeps pace with innovation. We’re proud to partner with ZETA on this important effort."

With safety legislation top-of-mind for legislators, the analysis makes three policy recommendations to strengthen EV and charging infrastructure fire safety:

• Build Consensus-Based Codes: Legislation or regulation targeting EV or electric vehicle supply equipment safety should build on existing consensus-based codes and standards rather than create duplicative or conflicting requirements. Policymakers should reference the National Electrical Code, applicable UL safety standards, NFPA requirements, and state/local inspection processes as the foundation for safe deployment, while preserving flexibility for future technology changes.
• Improve Fire Data Collection and Coordination: Electric vehicle battery fires are rare, but global EV fire safety data collection efforts have been sporadic and patchwork so far. In the U.S., NERIS now tracks many fire incidents across the country; however, using this updated tool for fire prediction, analysis, and resource allocation will require coordination among federal agencies, fire departments, and educational stakeholders. Improved fire data collection can help identify policy gaps in information dissemination and rapid response.
• Strengthen Stakeholder Convening and Engagement: Industry leadership, state/federal stakeholders, and fire service representatives all have a vested interest in seeing meaningful safety policy regarding electric vehicles and related charging infrastructure. Continued coordination with stakeholders through a formal process, such as a working group, to review and establish guidance and best practices for responding to battery-powered vehicles will improve future federal safety standards and guidelines.

The white paper follows the second Fire Safety Solutions Summit, hosted by the ZETA Education Fund and NEMA. The Fire Safety Solutions Summit brings together key stakeholders across industry and first responders to discuss improving existing safety standards, fire response best practices, and shared policy goals. Convenings like the Summit are one of the key recommendations in the ZETA Education Fund and NEMA white paper.

The full white paper can be downloaded here.

About the ZETA Education Fund
The ZETA Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the Zero Emission Transportation Association focused on educating the public on the benefits and opportunities associated with broad EV adoption, including the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs and maintaining American EV manufacturing dominance in global markets.

About NEMA
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) represents over 300 electrical equipment manufacturers that make safe, reliable, and efficient products and technologies that power, connect, and light our world. Together, our members contribute a full 1% of U.S. GDP and directly provide over 590,000 American jobs, adding more than $375 billion to the U.S. economy. Learn more at makeitelectric.org