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HKPC Completes Fire Incident Report of a Prototype Electric Vehicle

The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) has completed the investigation report on the fire incident relating to the prototype research and development (R&D) electric vehicle (EV) in Yuen Long last December. After a thorough evidence gathering exercise, the investigation team concluded that the fire was the result of operational errors. The report revealed that without informing HKPC, some of the technical support staff working on the vehicle during its testing in Dongguan last October have compromised the water sealing of the battery casings during performance tuning and inspection. Subsequent seepage of water into the compromised battery casings eventually led to short-circuiting. The investigation team has also ruled out vandalism and battery overcharging as possible causes. The findings were confirmed by independent experts and simulation testing. The project collaboration partner, Green Dynamic Electric Vehicle Limited (GDEV), agreed with the conclusion of the investigation report.

Based on the report findings, the investigation team has made a series of enhancement recommendations, such as proposing that the battery supplier install suitable devices to prevent unauthorised opening of the battery casings and installing automatic fire extinguishing system in the compartments housing the battery casings.

The fire occurred on 13 December 2015. An EV prototype for R&D, which was neither in service nor being charged, caught fire at a parking site in Yuen Long. To determine the cause of the incident, HKPC and GDEV subsequently set up a joint investigation team. The team also invited leading experts in EV technology to provide independent advice.

A spokesperson for HKPC today (22 April 2016) said that the Council attached great importance to the incident. HKPC stressed that although the EV prototype was destroyed in the fire, the testing and R&D work had already been completed by the end of November last year. HKPC has acquired the core technologies on the development of electric bus from the project, which would benefit related R&D works in the future and help promote the development of EV technology and the wider adoption of EVs.

A spokesperson for GDEV said that they agreed with the conclusion of the investigation report and welcomed the recommendations, pledging to continue with their efforts on commercialising related EV technologies.

In 2013, HKPC received funding support from the Innovation and Technology Fund of the HKSAR Government to embark on this R&D electric bus project. The project included the design and production of two prototype electric buses for R&D, functionality checks and tests. From early 2015 to end November, the prototype electric buses were subjected to over 15 000 km of road tests in the Mainland and Hong Kong. The project team also engaged an independent testing body, Bureau Veritas, to conduct functional and performance tests on the prototype electric buses. The tests were completed in November last year, with all test performances meeting the project requirements.

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Mr Jonathan Ho
General Manager
Corporate Communication and Marketing
Tel: (852) 2788 6390
Fax: (852) 2788 5056
Email: jonathanho@hkpc.org
Website: www.hkpc.org

22 April 2016

HKPC Completes Fire Incident Report of a Prototype Electric Vehicle