The recommendations emerged from a major piece of research done for ABCB by EV FireSafe, a private company that receives seed funding from the Australian Department of Defence to research EV high voltage battery fires and emergency responses to those fires.

Rake did say that an EV fire is different from a conventional car fire and for that reason the ABCB was working with the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council to "Make sure we are all preparing for this adaption".

Although statistics show conventionally powered cars are far more likely to catch fire than EVs, EV fires can be far more toxic and less predictable and firefighters are rightly concerned about the risks posed to first responders.

It wants fire authorities to be consulted during the planning and design phase for the implementation of EV charging equipment and the introduction of EVs within the built environment.

Adequacy of space left between cars to prevent fire spreading because of the directional flames that jet in EV fires.

The types of special hazards linked to EV fires include the potential for the fire to damage the structural integrity of a building, the potential of fire to expose high voltage DC and AC electricity and the production of toxic and combustible vapour that existing air systems will likely not be able to cope with, and which could lead to explosions.