Australian racing venue bans EVs due to fire concerns

One of Australia’s most popular racing facilities has banned road-registered electric vehicles (EVs) from competitive events over fire concerns.

Willowbank Raceway near Ipswich – about 55km west of Brisbane’s CBD – put out a statement to announce the ban, which it said followed consultation with Motorsport Australia and the National Electric Drag Racing Association (NEDRA).

“We have been reviewing the regulations from Motorsport Australia, NEDRA, as well as the emergency response procedures for specific vehicles, and after information provided from these departments, we have determined that the risks associated with racing and testing electric vehicles are too high,” the statement reads.

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According to Willowbank Raceway, these risks include:

• The battery may release toxic and flammable gas after a collision
• First responders may not be able to confirm that the car is “off”
• Doors may not unlock from the outside after a collision
• If the driver is unconscious after an incident (including a medical incident), there is a chance that the chassis is live and removing the driver would put the responders at risk
• The car may not roll with the power disconnected and towing the car with our current equipment would be impossible 
• Electric vehicles require specific fire suppression systems such as water baths

The costs related to making the necessary upgrades for EVs are likely a factor behind the ban.

The ban has already taken effect and applies to all events which take place at Willowbank Raceway.

Though hybrid vehicles are also fitted with and partially powered by high-voltage batteries, the ban doesn’t extend to them.

Motorsport Australia, the governing body for racing locally, released its EV regulations in July 2022, which mandated the use of specific personal protective equipment (PPE) to better protect those involved in racing events which include battery-powered cars.

This included the rollout of high-voltage rescue hooks, a water bath or high-volume water supply to reduce the risk of thermal runaway.