Fire extinguisher for EV

Realistically all you're going to put out with one small fire extinguisher is a small fire in the cabin, if you catch it when it starts.

One thing to remember with a power fire extinguisher is that you need to regularly shake them.

Otherwise when you go to use them the powder will have settled and you'll end up with nothing, nothing and then a powder explosion.

You don't get long with these handheld extinguishers either and you need to use some of it to protect you while you retreat from the fire.

As someone with a bit of firefighter training, my advice is to get yourself and your family out and walk away from it.

If your EV battery starts to burn, forget fire extinguishers and retreat to a safe distance. Although in most cases Lithium battery fires are slow motion events, almost impossible to extinguish and can burn for literally weeks, sometimes they can, and do, go up in spectacular fashion.

In 30 years of car ownership I've never put a fire entinguisher in a car and, given that I'm led to believe that ICEs are far more likely to burst into flames, that's a practice I'm going to maintain with EVs

I don't know why you're throwing all these questions at me.

I've also no idea what "sudden Burt of power removing the oxygen from the cabin" means.

Why does anyone feel they need any of that stuff in a car?

Marketing really is a powerful tool!!

The first aid kits and hi-viz are sensible items, that are usually stowed in the boot and are practical.

A small dry powder extinguisher is useless in a vehicle fire and are not mandatory here. The seatbelt cutter is not usually necessary to open a seatbelt, and the glass breaker is more likely to lead to injury from broken glass when used without proper gloves for the user and glass protection for any casualty.

Yep, and kept looking which is why I said I'm not sure its available any more. Seems that it designed as a professional first responders tool and has been replaced by the Leatherman Raptor. Another first responders tool that is built around scissors but also has the glass smasher. I didn't initially suggest it as its way expensive plus you don't really need the scissors if you aren't a first responder.

On price (£25) I think these are a good deal with some decent reviews, should just fit behind a sun visor although but might be a little too thick?

My BiL has been first on the scene of two accidents and had to cut the seat belt of a guy in a burning car and smash a window to get another out. I'd like to think I could provide help if someone needed it in a hurry.

Edit> Yet another seat belt cutter window smasher option for the sun visor.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/StatGear-SuperVizor-Emergency-Rescue-Escape/dp/B08B444Z9V/

Don't fire extinguishers need to be serviced, if that's the right word, or they could become ineffective?

Using a CO2 extinguisher in an enclosed space runs the serious risk of asphyxiation.

Also CO2 can spread the fire by blowing flammable materials around.

Put out the fire first, worry about clean-up later.

Powder getting everywhere is one of it's main advantages. Everywhere is covered so you've less chance of reignition.

You don't sit in the car while you're putting it out. You stand outside the vehicle spraying in through the door. CO2 in this situation is no use, it will disperse in the atmosphere too much. Powder is the most effective fire extinguisher available to you for a car fire.

As for EV fire, forget it unless it's a fire in the interior. The battery is housed incased in the vehicle, no extinguisher can get at it. It cannot be put out no matter how small.

For petrol or diesel cars a 2kg powder secured properly could put out a small engine fire. Many years ago a friend and I were in a Fiesta XR2 heading to the seaside in UK. We pulled off into services, as we slowed down the car filled with smoke. We pulled up, he popped the bonnet and I took a look. The engine at exhaust manifold was on fire and getting worse. We put the fire out with a can of Vimto!

It was caused by a blocked crank case breather pipe. It had filled air intake with oil and dripped onto manifold. We cleaned it all out and continued on our way with a bottle of Evian water in case it caught fire again. We were young and stupid, but it worked.