Australia's NTRO and EV FireSafe Launch Toolkit to Tackle Electric Truck Fire Fears

Australia’s National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) has rolled out a dedicated fire safety toolkit aimed at electric truck operators, addressing one of the quieter but persistent barriers to fleet electrification. Developed alongside EV FireSafe and designed by Monash University’s National Road Safety Partnership Program, the resource targets drivers, workshops, depots and fleet managers who deal with battery-electric heavy vehicles day to day.

One of the more striking findings behind the guidance is that fewer than half of EV fires actually originate in the battery pack. Wiring faults, tyre failures and cabin materials account for a meaningful share of incidents, a detail that challenges the assumption that the traction battery is always the culprit. That said, when thermal runaway does occur, it presents hazards that differ sharply from a conventional diesel fire, including extreme heat, toxic gas release and the risk of the pack reigniting after being extinguished.

The toolkit is built around three operating environments: workshop, roadside and depot. Within those settings, it covers prevention measures, the warning signs that precede a serious incident, evacuation procedures and how to brief emergency responders effectively when they arrive on scene. The funding came through the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative, administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator with backing from the Australian Government.

Anthony Germanchev, Project Leader and Principal Engineer for Transport Futures at NTRO, framed the work as a corrective to widespread assumptions. He noted that misconceptions should not stand in the way of progress, particularly where emerging technologies are concerned, and said the project brought together industry stakeholders, EV FireSafe, the NRSPP and people with hands-on experience operating and servicing these vehicles to separate fact from fiction. The resulting guidance, he added, is grounded in what is actually being learned in the field, which matters both for early adopters and for the wider electrification of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet.

The initiative lands at a moment when perception is increasingly treated as a real adoption risk in its own right. High-profile electric truck fires have shaped public and fleet-manager attitudes, and the NTRO’s position is that the fear of risk may slow uptake just as much as the underlying hazard. By giving depots, technicians and first responders a common, practical framework, the toolkit aims to close that gap between perceived and actual danger as battery-electric trucks move deeper into commercial service.