Hydrogel is suitable for electric vehicle fires because its temperature-sensitive gel formation allows it to cling to hot battery surfaces, extract heat rapidly, suppress flames, and reduce the risk of re-ignition, all without PFAS or other harmful chemicals. Unlike water alone, Hydrogel transforms into a viscous substance as temperatures rise, keeping cooling capacity precisely focused on the battery cells where thermal energy is most dangerous. The sections below unpack the science, the safety advantages, and the practical applications in detail.
How does hydrogel suppress lithium-ion battery fires?
Hydrogel suppresses lithium-ion battery fires through a system-level approach that addresses every stage of the fire lifecycle: extinguishing visible flames, removing heat from battery cells, interrupting thermal propagation between cells, reducing flammable gas concentrations, and physically insulating affected cells to stabilise reactive lithium ions. This makes it fundamentally different from conventional extinguishing agents that treat only the visible fire.
The mechanism behind this performance is temperature-sensitive gel formation. At ambient temperatures, Hydrogel behaves as a low-viscosity, water-based fluid that flows easily and penetrates tight spaces. As it contacts hot battery surfaces, it transforms into a viscous gel that adheres to those surfaces rather than running off. This adhesion is critical for lithium-ion battery incidents, where heat is concentrated inside dense cell structures and must be extracted continuously, not just in the first seconds of application.
Because Hydrogel remains in contact with hot surfaces longer than water alone, it continues cooling after visible flames have disappeared. This post-suppression cooling phase is one of the most important factors in preventing thermal runaway from restarting in adjacent cells. Industry guidance recommends a minimum observation period of 20 minutes after extinguishment, with batteries transferred to a containment vessel and isolated from combustible materials for at least 48 hours before disposal. Hydrogel’s sustained thermal management supports this monitoring window by keeping surface temperatures lower throughout.
The clay content in Hydrogel also acts as a natural barrier, restricting oxygen supply and blocking flammable gases from reaching ignition temperature. This dual action, aggressive cooling combined with physical insulation, is why Hydrogel’s fire suppression mechanism is positioned as fire control and stabilisation rather than simple extinguishment.
Why are electric vehicle fires harder to extinguish than conventional car fires?
Electric vehicle fires are harder to extinguish than conventional car fires because lithium-ion battery packs can self-sustain and re-ignite long after flames appear to be out. The underlying process, thermal runaway, generates its own heat and flammable gases internally, meaning the fire source is not eliminated simply by suppressing visible flames. Conventional extinguishing agents that work well on fuel or upholstery fires are not designed to interrupt this internal chain reaction.
Thermal runaway occurs when a failing battery cell generates more heat than it can dissipate. That heat triggers the cell next to it, which triggers the next, cascading through the entire battery pack. The process releases toxic and flammable gases including hydrogen fluoride, and can cause repeated re-ignition events hours after the initial incident appears resolved. This is why EV fires are resource-intensive for emergency responders and why standard firefighting approaches are frequently insufficient.
The physical structure of EV battery packs compounds the problem. Cells are densely packed and often encased in protective housings that limit the penetration of extinguishing agents. Water applied from the outside may cool the surface while internal temperatures continue to rise. Reaching the thermal source requires either large volumes of water applied over extended periods, or an agent capable of adhering to surfaces and maintaining contact long enough to extract heat from deep within the pack.
Understanding how thermal runaway develops and spreads is essential context for evaluating any battery fire suppression solution, because an agent that only addresses the surface of the problem leaves the core hazard unresolved.
What makes hydrogel safer for people and the environment during EV fires?
Hydrogel is safer for people and the environment during EV fires because it contains zero PFAS, is classified as non-dangerous for humans and the environment under the most stringent European chemical legislation, and consists of more than 99% natural components, primarily modified natural clay and water. It produces no toxic residue that requires specialist disposal, and used Hydrogel can be collected and recycled, with its clay-based components potentially reusable as compost-enrichment material.
PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have historically been used in foam-based fire suppressants because of their ability to coat surfaces and smother flames. However, PFAS compounds are persistent in the environment and in human tissue, and regulatory pressure to phase them out is accelerating across Europe and globally. An EV fire already releases toxic gases from the battery itself. Using a PFAS-containing suppression agent adds a second contamination risk on top of an already hazardous incident.
Hydrogel eliminates that secondary risk entirely. Aquatic toxicity studies conducted according to OECD guidelines confirmed it is non-toxic for aquatic organisms. Its carbon footprint is less than 0.7%, and after a service life of more than ten years, the material is expected to be recyclable rather than destined for hazardous waste streams. For emergency responders, the absence of PFAS also means reduced personal exposure risk during and after firefighting operations.
Residual Hydrogel after an incident can be removed by absorbing excess material and rinsing affected surfaces with water, a straightforward cleanup process that does not require specialist hazmat handling, reducing the burden on response teams and site operators alike.
How does hydrogel compare to water when fighting EV battery fires?
Hydrogel outperforms water when fighting EV battery fires because it adheres to hot battery surfaces and maintains contact far longer than water, which runs off quickly. This sustained adhesion means Hydrogel extracts more heat per volume of agent applied, requires less total extinguishing material to achieve stabilisation, and produces less contaminated runoff, a significant advantage in enclosed environments such as parking structures or warehouses.
Water remains the most widely available firefighting resource, and Hydrogel is fully interchangeable with water in all water-based fire suppression systems. This compatibility means that existing infrastructure, sprinkler systems, hose reels, portable extinguishers, can be adapted without major modification. Despite being over 95% water by composition, Hydrogel can be safely used on electrical equipment up to 1,000 V when applied with suitable nozzle configurations, addressing one of the practical concerns that limits plain water use near EV electrical systems.
The key operational difference lies in efficiency. Because water has low viscosity, it flows away from vertical surfaces and hot areas almost immediately after application. In a battery fire, this means continuous application is required to maintain any cooling effect, consuming large volumes of water and generating significant runoff that carries battery electrolyte residue and other contaminants. Hydrogel’s gel-forming behaviour reduces the volume needed and limits the environmental impact of the runoff that does occur.
For distributors and facility operators evaluating a next-generation battery fire fighting agent, this efficiency advantage translates directly into lower agent consumption, simpler post-incident cleanup, and reduced environmental liability.
Where is hydrogel already being used for EV and battery fire protection?
Hydrogel is already being used for EV and battery fire protection across a range of settings where lithium-ion battery risks are concentrated, including warehousing and logistics facilities, recycling operations, maritime environments, and building fire protection systems. It is deployed in both handheld fire extinguishers and integrated suppression systems, making it applicable from first-responder portable use to large-scale fixed installations.
The growth of electric vehicles, e-bikes, energy storage systems, and portable electronics has created battery fire risk across sectors that previously had limited exposure to this hazard. Warehouses storing or charging EV fleets, recycling facilities processing lithium-ion battery waste, and buildings with EV charging infrastructure are among the environments where conventional fire suppression approaches are being re-evaluated in light of the specific demands of battery incidents.
In the maritime sector, where fire incidents at sea carry extreme consequences and access to large water volumes is not always the limiting factor but agent effectiveness is, Hydrogel’s combination of cooling performance and environmental safety makes it a strong fit. Recycling facilities face a particular challenge because battery fires in mixed waste streams can spread rapidly and involve a range of fire classes simultaneously, a scenario where Hydrogel’s suitability for Class A, B, and F fires in addition to lithium-ion incidents provides genuine operational flexibility.
For facilities looking to deploy Hydrogel in portable form, handheld extinguishers using Hydrogel technology are available under the ASAPs brand, the only fully circular fire extinguishers currently on the market. For larger-scale fixed protection, Hydrogel-based suppression systems can be integrated into existing water-based infrastructure without significant modification, offering a practical upgrade path for facilities that need to address growing battery fire risk without rebuilding their fire safety setup from scratch.
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