As electric vehicles become more common on roads, firefighters are facing new challenges when they need to rescue people from crashed cars.
Tesla’s reinforced body panels make vehicles safer for drivers, but they’re harder to cut through during emergencies. That’s why Tesla’s taking an unusual step: donating real vehicles to firefighters so they can practice tearing them apart.
Tesla started these training initiatives in late November 2023 at Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg in Germany. Firefighters learned how to safely dismantle Tesla vehicles and practice emergency response techniques. The company also held a training event at San Bernardino Emergency Regional Training Center in Southern California for regional first responders. Tesla engineers were on-site during these sessions to answer technical questions about the vehicles.
The problem firefighters face is unique to electric vehicles. Tesla’s battery sits between the wheel wells below the floorboard, creating access challenges that traditional rescue training doesn’t address. High-voltage systems need special shutdown procedures before anyone can safely extract injured passengers. These training sessions emphasized that letting EV fires burn out may be advisable in certain circumstances, a counterintuitive approach for firefighters trained in traditional suppression methods.
The vehicle’s construction is so different from gas-powered cars that standard tools like hydraulic spreaders and shears need modification.
Fires in electric vehicles also behave differently. When a Tesla catches fire below the floorboard, firefighters can’t use the same tactics they’d use for cabin fires. Lithium-ion battery fires need massive amounts of water—sometimes 3,000 to 8,000 gallons—compared to conventional vehicle fires.
Tesla’s providing resources to help first responders handle these situations. The company created thorough Emergency Response Guides for all Tesla models and energy products like Megapack and Powerwall systems. As EV adoption increases due to lower operational costs, first responders require updated training materials and comprehensive support systems. Tesla vehicles achieve the lowest injury probability in standardized crash tests, which means more occupants survive crashes but may require complex extraction procedures.
They’ve also set up Quick Response Sheets with visual guides for critical procedures. First responders can contact firstrespondersafety@tesla.com with technical questions, and detailed information is available in owner’s manuals.
Tesla’s hands-on approach is changing how firefighters prepare for rescues. By giving them real vehicles to practice on, the company’s helping make sure that rescue teams comprehend the unique challenges electric vehicles present.
As more EVs hit the roads, this training is becoming increasingly important for keeping both firefighters and crash victims safe.