Fire Isolator’s first take on the new DIN SPEC 91489: A proposed new German Standard for EV Fire Safety

As electric vehicles (EVs) take center stage in the automotive industry, addressing their unique fire risks is critical. DIN SPEC 91489:2024-11 has emerged as the first official proposed standard for fire blankets in Germany, designed to combat EV fires, creating a trusted framework for consistent quality, reliability, and safety in this area.

While this marks an important step in raising the overall quality level of EV fire blankets, it has to be noted that a blanket alone is not enough to successfully contain an EV (car) fire. For that, more methods, such as early detection systems, potassium aerosol units, and water mist are needed.  To successfully control and isolate the fire and limit the collateral damage.

So the scope of this new DIN SPEC 91489 is limited to car fire blankets alone, as a product, and has no mention of containing EV car fires in general. Containing EV car fires is more than just deploying a blanket and consists of methods, procedures, training, and equipment together.

The Importance of DIN SPEC 91489:2024-11 for EV Fire Blanket Safety

As we have shared with you in the last few years, with the shift toward EVs comes a new fire safety challenge: lithium-ion battery fires, which are notoriously difficult to extinguish. These fires, fueled by thermal runaway, can reignite even after being seemingly controlled, rendering conventional methods ineffective. DIN SPEC 91489:2024-11 contributes by providing detailed criteria for Fire Blankets that can withstand these demanding conditions, ensuring they are both reliable and robust under the intense heat and chemical exposure typical for EV fires. Developed through collaboration across German automotive, firefighting, and emergency response sectors, this standard guarantees that only meticulously tested, high-quality blankets receive certification.

Fire Isolator’s Commitment to DIN SPEC 91489 Standards

Previously, the absence of a dedicated standard left buyers uncertain about the reliability of Fire Blankets for EV fires. DIN SPEC 91489:2024-11 changes this by providing a clear standard that assures buyers of high performance and safety. Fire Isolator fully supports this development, creating fire blankets that are built to closely meet these new requirements. As mobility and safety needs evolve, Fire Isolator is committed to advancing effective solutions that tackle the unique safety challenges of lithium-ion battery fires.

Applicable for the Automotive and Safety Industries

The German DIN SPEC 91489 (found here) provides clarity for stakeholders across various industries, including automotive, fire safety, warehousing, logistics, and fleet management. Setting clear guidelines brings an end to the uncertainties surrounding EV fire blankets, offering a dependable fire blanket standard that prioritizes safety and supports the continued expansion of EV infrastructure. This development is important in making public spaces, work environments, and transport operations safer as the world increasingly shifts to electric vehicles.

DIN SPEC 91489:2024-11 Key Criteria

DIN SPEC 91489 contains several requirements of which we list the most important:

• General requirements
  Features like loop straps, the size of the blanket, storage, etc. are mentioned
  
• Thermal resistance
  The DIN SPEC requires a minimal ISO13591-1 classification B. However, the Fire Isolator blankets have a higher (the highest) classification: A1.
  
• Mechanical stability
  Resistance to cutting, stability of the loop straps, etc.
  
• Electrostatic charge
• Protection from electric shock
• Chemical resistance
• Markings
• Manufacturer information
• Minimum content of the test report
  
• Training in Deployment for First Responders
  The DIN SPEC 91489 requires fire blankets that can be quickly and easily deployed by two trained responders who are wearing/using personal protective equipment and breathing apparatus

Summarized, the new DIN SPEC 91489:2024-11 is a good initiative to introduce a quality threshold for EV fire blankets. However, an EV fire takes more than just a blanket, which is why the focus of Fire Isolator is to provide a complete spectrum of products and procedures to not only isolate the fire with a blanket but also to kick down the flames under the blanket by deploying potassium nitrate, low-aerosol units, and water mist devices to cool the car and kick down the (sometimes) toxic vapor and smoke coming off the car.

Read more about our Fire Isolator concept here.

Contact us today for more information and quote requests: sales@fireisolator.com