EVs, hybrids and aftercare 26 www.aftermarketonline.net JULY/AUGUST 2025 Trailblazers’ fire limitation blanket has safety covered How a UK company’s innovative EV fire limitation product can benefit the auto business Prosol UK has announced it has secured a groundbreaking standard for its pioneering ‘Fire Cloak’ — launched after many months of R&D and testing — to help prevent collateral damage to surrounding property when an EV car fire event occurs. Fire Cloak has secured the DIN SPEC 91489 standard, recently introduced in Germany as the first official proposed standard for fire blankets designed to combat EV fires. The standard came about after lengthy discussions and consultations with fire safety professionals, emergency responders, vehicle manufacturers and others and is the first regulated testing framework for fire limitation blankets specifically for EVs. Sheffield-based Prosol’s fire blanket weighs just 28kg, measures 48m2 and can be deployed by two people for a car of any size. The company said it believes the new standard will provide reassurance, confidence and recognition that Fire Cloak meets the quality and performance parameters demanded by safety professionals in critical situations. “In a hitherto free-for-all market, it gives regulatory assurance and transparency to those individuals who are most likely to use a fire blanket that they can trust the product when they need to. It also helps to officially verify both the efficacy and quality of the fire blanket.” Highlights of key test criteria demanded by the new standard include thermal resistance, when the blanket is exposed to temperatures ranging between 7001,000°C for varying periods to replicate an EV battery in thermal runaway — one of the primary risks related to lithium ion batteries. It is a phenomenon in which the lithium ion cell enters an uncontrollable, self-heating state. In addition, the standard involves testing mechanical stability, including the tensile strength of the blanket and loop handles, using a weight loading of 100kg for 30 seconds, then a further 25kg is dropped onto a load platform from 30cm and evaluated after 30 seconds. No tears, fraying or detachment can occur. General requirements include the ability of a maximum of two people to deploy the fire blanket within 30 seconds, on both a wet and dry vehicle of specified dimensions. A report on the DIN thermal resistance test must contain an expert opinion that the product is suitable for use as an EV fire limitation blanket. Since launching Fire Cloak, Prosol said the company has been at the forefront of proving the fire resistance of the product and wholeheartedly supports DIN SPEC 91489:2024-11. Prior to the publication of this standard, Prosol conducted a great deal of research to determine fire resistance testing relevant to the end use and successfully submitted the product to a series of independent tests The safety of the general public, fire and emergency services crews, recovery personnel and EV service technicians is paramount to the sustainable growth of the entire automotive industry, Prosol said. Anyone using any type of car park, travelling on a vehicle ferry, working on the repair of an EV or anywhere in which EVs or lithium ion batteries are stored, needs to know they will be safe should the worst happen. “Having the DIN SPEC 91489:2024-11 in place goes a long way to achieving this. We will continue to work with our peers in the industry as well as the most respected experts and regulatory organisations concerned with fire safety to share our knowledge, exceed expectations and provide unrivalled solutions to overcome the significant challenges that lithium ion battery fires pose.” Visit www.prosol.co.uk or call 0114 255 7700 for more information. From right: MD of Prosol UK Andy Coulton, student placement Jack Butcher, sales and marketing manager Matt Butcher and digital marketing executive Becky Stoakley
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