A lithium-ion battery fire is hard to extinguish because the battery supplies its own heat, its own fuel gases and, in many cell chemistries, part of its own oxygen. Water cools it but rarely stops it quickly. The Hi-PROTEC EV Fire Blanket attacks the part of the problem you can control in the first minutes: it starves the external flames of air, traps heat and smoke under a 1,100°C-rated silica barrier, and keeps the incident to one vehicle until the fire brigade takes over.

Anatomy of thermal runaway

Thermal runaway is a self-accelerating chain of exothermic reactions inside a cell. Once heat generation outpaces heat loss, each stage triggers the next — and one failing cell heats its neighbours, so the reaction propagates through the pack.

SEI breakdown. The protective film on the anode (the solid electrolyte interphase) generally starts to decompose above about 90°C, releasing heat and gases such as CO₂, CO and hydrocarbons.
Separator failure. As temperature climbs, the polymer separator softens and shrinks. If it ruptures, anode and cathode touch: an internal short circuit dumps stored energy as heat.
Cathode decomposition and oxygen release. At higher temperatures, layered-oxide cathodes break down and release oxygen inside the cell.
Electrolyte combustion. That oxygen reacts violently with the flammable carbonate electrolyte. The casing vents or ruptures, ejecting hot, flammable and toxic gas that ignites on contact with air.

Two consequences matter for responders. First, the cell produces part of its own oxygen, so no external method fully stops the reaction once it has started. Second, the vented gases are flammable and toxic, so where they go is as important as the flames you can see.

Why water alone is not enough

Water is still the fire brigade’s main agent, and UL’s full-scale testing found it can handle most EV incidents. The difficulty is getting it where it matters, quickly.

The heat source is sealed away. The battery pack sits under the floor inside a steel or aluminium enclosure built to keep water out. Hose streams cool the body and cabin, not the cells.
No agent stops runaway once it starts. In UL’s tests, none of the suppression techniques halted thermal runaway after it began.
Reignition is likely. A pack that looks extinguished can reignite hours later.
Indoors, time and access are short. In a basement car park, a fire crew may take minutes to arrive and set up, while radiant heat and smoke spread to neighbouring cars and ventilation.

What the blanket does — and what it does not

An EV fire blanket works on the fire triangle from the outside. Laid over the whole vehicle and sealed at the ground, it starves external flames of air, isolates heat behind a 1,100°C-rated silica barrier, confines smoke, and buys time until the fire brigade arrives.

It is equally important to understand the limits: it does not stop the chemistry (the cells make their own oxygen); gas can accumulate underneath (once deployed, never lift or reposition the blanket — deflagration risk, especially indoors); and it complements water, it does not replace it.

Material engineering of Hi-PROTEC

Centrotec’s thermal insulation engineers specified Hi-PROTEC around four properties: high-purity silica fiber (≥ 96%), dual-side liquid silicone coating, fire behavior Class B-s1, d0 under EN 13501-1, and Level A cut resistance under EN ISO 13997. The complete blanket is tested as a system against DIN SPEC 91489:2024-11 by SGS (Test Report No. SDFTS25000559R01_EN), and is also PFAS-free.

Hi-PROTEC at a glance

What to check	Hi-PROTEC
EV-specific standard	Meets DIN SPEC 91489:2024-11 requirements (SGS test)
Material & heat rating	Pure silica fiber ≥ 96%, liquid silicone coating on both sides; max service temperature 1,100°C
Fire behavior class	Class B-s1, d0 (EN 13501-1): low ignitability, low smoke, no flaming droplets
Cut resistance	Level A under EN ISO 13997
Size and handling	6 × 8 m (net weight 28 kg), four reinforced corner straps (FMVSS 302) with red pull handles
Storage	Yellow high-visibility container rated IP65 (IPX5 water jets, IP6X dust-tight)
Shelf life	Up to 20 years in standby storage when properly maintained
Environmental safety	PFAS-free

Building it into your emergency plan

Placement — mount the IP65 container where EVs park, charge or are serviced. Keep it visible and unobstructed, and plan the approach route from upwind.

Deployment (two trained people)

Raise the alarm and call the fire brigade first.
Two responders in appropriate PPE take the corner straps and approach the vehicle together.
Pull the blanket over the entire car and seal it against the ground.
Step back, keep everyone clear, and do not lift or reposition the blanket — gas may have accumulated underneath.
Keep monitoring for smoke, sound or heat until the fire brigade takes command, and brief them on arrival.

With proper storage, Hi-PROTEC has a standby life of up to 20 years. Book a technical demonstration or request the SGS report: Centrotec Co., Ltd. · Phone +66 81 899 1799, +66 36 222 822 · kittipat.centrotec@gmail.com

Inside the EV Fire Blanket: How Hi-PROTEC Contains Thermal Runaway From the First Minute