Fire Risk and EV Infrastructure in Apartment Buildings: Why Clear Policy Matters
As the UK moves toward net zero, EV adoption is accelerating—and with it, the need for robust charging infrastructure in apartment buildings. But one topic continues to cause uncertainty and delay: fire safety.
It’s a valid concern, particularly when installing charge points in underground or covered car parks. But too often, the discussion is shaped more by confusion and contradictory guidance than by facts.
Getting Fire Safety Right—Without Hitting Pause on Progress
EVs do present new considerations for fire safety—lithium-ion batteries behave differently than internal combustion engines in the rare event of a fire. But here’s the key point: electric vehicles are statistically significantly less likely to catch fire than petrol or diesel cars - around 20x less likely according to academic research from the International Fire and Safety Journal.
That might surprise some people, but it's backed by growing quantities of data. Combustion vehicles have always carried inherent fire risks—after all, they carry large tanks of explosive fossil fuels and rely on hot engines, exhaust systems, and flammable fluids to operate.
So while the fire dynamics of an EV may differ and should be accommodated within risk assessments and site mitigation, the likelihood of a fire starting is materially lower. Unfortunately, this reality is often drowned out by headlines and social media posts that conflate EVs with high-profile battery fires in e-scooters and e-bikes—two very different technologies, usually charged indoors, often with less robust battery management and regulation.
This misinformation has led to an exaggerated perception of risk, further complicating already muddled policy conversations.
Contradictory Guidance Is Slowing the Sector Down
Adding to the confusion are well recognised contradictions in government policy.
Part S of the Building Regulations currently exempts underground car parks from EV charging point requirements. This suggests a risk-averse stance, potentially influenced by understandable caution during its consultation process in the period immediately post-Grenfell.
Yet at the same time, the EV Infrastructure Grant for landlords supports installations in underground and covered car parks by providing up to £30k of tax payer money - implicitly recognising that with the right design and equipment, these installs can be done safely.
Shedding Light: New Research Challenges Assumptions
Thankfully, we now have more evidence to help bridge the gap between perception and reality.
A recent peer-reviewed study—Assessment of Recent UK Fire Safety Guidance for Covered Car Parks and Electric Vehicles—takes a deep dive into UK fire safety guidance related to EVs.
Its key finding: while caution is justified (and important), many fire safety concerns around EVs—especially in covered car parks—are being overstated or misinterpreted. The paper calls for a more balanced, evidence-based approach that considers actual fire risk, not just worst-case speculation.
Importantly, it highlights that the presence of EVs doesn't introduce an entirely new risk—it introduces a different one. And with smart design, appropriate mitigation, and informed guidance, that risk can be managed effectively.
Insurance: The Domino Effect of Policy Uncertainty
One of the most significant—and often under-discussed—consequences of unclear fire risk policy is its impact on insurers.
When guidance is contradictory or based on perception rather than evidence, insurers are left to interpret the risk themselves. In the absence of a clear regulatory line, many default to ultra-cautious positions, especially when it comes to installations in enclosed or underground car parks.
We’ve already seen cases where insurers have:
Increased premiums or refused coverage for buildings planning EV infrastructure
Insisted on expensive fire suppression systems or specialist materials as a condition of approval
Delayed policy renewals or refused to underwrite new developments altogether
This has a slowing effect across the sector. Developers may scale back plans, retrofit opportunities get missed, and residents lose out on access to convenient, affordable home charging.
It’s a perfect example of how policy uncertainty at the top trickles down into real-world barriers—slowing progress on net zero and leaving the built environment stuck in a cycle of hesitation.
What’s needed is clear, consistent, and evidence-led fire guidance written from within the confines of what is legally, technically and commercially possible. Only then will insurers have the confidence to support the EV infrastructure roll out we all need.
The Path Forward: Clear Policy, Informed Decisions
At Cosmic Charging, we work closely with property managers, developers, the UK Government and safety experts to deliver EV infrastructure that’s not only future-proof—but safe, insurable, and regulation-compliant. Collaboration is gaining momentum and there is a shared appetite to create progress.
To do that, we need clear, aligned and progressive policy, independently created and tested in real world applications. As ever, in this modern era we need to prevent misinformation. We need to stop confusing e-bike fires with EVs. We need to acknowledge that combustion engines already carry risk. And most of all, we need government guidance that gives professionals the confidence to make informed decisions against clear standards and requirements.
The clock is ticking.
Every day, more EVs are sold, more EVs are parking within apartment building complexes and less progress is seemingly made on the actionable steps to make properties safe.
Join us: If you with to contribute your expertise to this issue then please do get in touch. Progress is only achieved through collaboration.
