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- Audi SA has trained 70 first responders on safely pulling the plug on an e-tron in a severe accident.
- First responders can prevent lithium-ion battery electrical fires by removing an electric car's safety switch.
- If a high-voltage cable is cut into, responders can be electrocuted, which is why it's essential to power down an EV entirely.
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With up to 800 volts coursing through its electrical system, the Audi e-tron is one of the most advanced cars on sale in South Africa. The all-electric sports car is packing more tech than any Audi that has come before it, but in the event of a severe accident, it can become a ticking time bomb.
Electric cars, in general, are fire hazards when it comes to severe collisions, particularly if the lithium-ion battery pack is damaged and overheats. Petrol cars are equally dangerous, but putting out a gasoline fire requires less specialist firefighting equipment. Small lithium-ion batteries like those we use in torches and toys can be doused with water because they contain little lithium metal. EV batteries have more lithium-metal compounds and need to be extinguished using a foam extinguisher, dry chemical, powder graphite, copper powder or sodium carbonate.
For South African first responders, the aim is to prevent a fire in the first place by being able to fully power down an electric car when arriving on a scene. At the Audi Technical training centre in Centurion, paramedics, firefighters, policemen, and women were shown how to safely pull the plug on e-tron vehicles if they arrive at the scene of an accident.
The first car maker to upskill first responders in SA
Audi South Africa facilitated a training programme with 70 South African first responders hosted at its Dealer Technical Training Academy in Pretoria. The safety and education initiative is the first for the local automotive industry and is part of Audi's e-tron launch and electric vehicle rollout in the country.
READ: REVIEW | Audi's e-tron GT personifies sex on wheels, but it's not the most practical EV
"As part of our planning towards introducing our fully electric Audi e-tron model range, we consulted with the Department of Cooperative Governance and the National Disaster Management Centre in South Africa and identified a need to progress the education and information of electric vehicles (EV) to first responders. Paramedics and firefighters play a vital role in the safety and security of South African drivers. With the growing transition towards e-mobility, there was an important responsibility on our part to bring these teams along with our local EV transition or journey," explains Sascha Sauer, Head of Audi South Africa.
Train the trainer for exponential upskilling
The training facilitated a programme to "train the trainer" with South African National Fire and Emergency Services, enabling the team of trainees to be in a position to handle electric vehicle incidents on South African roads adequately.
The classroom-based training content included education and awareness of EV product features, technicalities of charging and battery operations and safety guidelines for handling an electrically operated vehicle compared to an internal combustion engine.
Attendees were also exposed to Audi's recently launched Audi e-tron models through a practical exercise based on 'global best training practices'.
READ: REVIEW | Volvo's XC90 T8 Recharge uses zero litres per 100km, and it's a pleasure to pilot
"With the arrival of more and more electric vehicles on our roads and across the country, the training of this nature was invaluable to our first responder teams. It is great to see that the future of automotive is taking place in South Africa and that our teams are seen as an important stakeholder in this new era. Thank you to Audi for exposing us to this new topic," says the Acting Director of Fire Services, Thibedi Jappie Lengoabala.
"EVs are increasing in popularity and will have an extensive presence on our roads within the next five years. While EVs will present new and unique challenges to our emergency services, there are effective ways to ensure safe and operative responses to any EV related incident. Skilled and qualified personnel is key to all of this. Audi is proud to start the educational training process with our National Fire and Emergency Services teams, helping keep them and South Africans safe on the roads. Understanding the basic EV construction and technicalities will empower emergency and fire services to react confidently while saving lives, limiting as much damage as possible to the vehicle simultaneously," concludes Sauer.
Attendees were able to power down e-tron vehicles by learning where to look for the e-tron EV systems' kill switches. It's important to note that all EVs have safety plugs that emergency services can pull, but they won't be positioned in the same place in every EV. The e-tron SUV's plug, for instance, is situated in a different location to the e-tron GT.
Acting Director of Fire Services, Thibedi Jappie Lengoabala, says he is confident that more OEMs will collaborate with his department to upskill first responders. BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo Cars are aggressively rolling out electric cars in South Africa, and as more of these high-voltage vehicles hit the road, it's only a matter of time before more of them are involved in accidents. The Audi initiative is an excellent first step in preparing South Africa's lifesavers to respond.
Click here to learn more about the high voltage electric drive system in an Audi e-tron.
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