- The Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool has issued a temporary EV ban from one of its car parks while they upgrade their sprinkler system.
- An EV driver who visited the hospital for his son’s appointment was turned away from the metal car park due to fire concerns.
- Experts suggest that the hospital’s decision is not backed by evidence, as ICE-powered vehicles are reportedly more prone to fires than EVs.
A UK driver recently took to social media to vent their frustration after facing a baffling situation. Imagine taking your child to the hospital, only to be denied access to the car park because you drive an electric vehicle. This is exactly what happened to Paul Freeman-Powell, highlighting the lack of understanding and outdated policies that haven’t caught up with the growing popularity of EVs.
The incident took place at the Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool, UK. Mr Freeman-Powell, who had a doctor’s appointment for his son, claims he was turned away from one of the hospital’s car parks due to a temporarily ban for EVs.
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The driver was greeted by “No Electric Vehicles” signs right outside the premises. He also spoke with a security guard who informed him that his EV’s battery could “react” with the metal car park causing it to “catch fire” or even “explode”. While this explanation didn’t make sense to the EV owner, he complied and parked outside, as he didn’t want to miss his seven-year-old son’s appointment.
Following his frustrating experience, Mr Freeman-Powell took to social media to complain and publicly share a “Freedom of Information Request” document he emailed to the hospital. In it, he states that ICE-powered vehicles are reportedly 20 times more likely to catch fire than EVs, and requests more information about the hospital’s decision-making process concerning the ban.
Maybe you should read the Little Book of EV Myths…https://t.co/DIqwIrenV1 pic.twitter.com/xQUKT8LhKW
— Paul Freeman-Powell (@paulfp) May 1, 2024
Alder Hey Hospital issued a statement to BBC explaining that they have “temporarily restricted the parking of electric vehicles in one of our smaller car parks while we upgrade its fire sprinkler system” after being advised from the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service. The statement continues: “Electric vehicles are still able to park in our main Hospital car park”, which reportedly has 14 dedicated spaces equipped with EV chargers.
While EV fires are known to cause a lot of trouble to firefighters, some experts claim that the hospital’s decision isn’t backed by evidence. Colin Walker, who is the Head of Transport at the Energy And Climate Intelligence Unit research group, cited data from EV FireSafe suggesting that vehicles with gasoline engines are over 80 times more likely to set on fire than EVs.
According to another report by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, in 2022 there was an average of 3.8 fires per 100,000 EVs and hybrids, which is significantly lower than the average of 68 fires per 100,000 cars of all fuel types (including arson).
Quentin Wilson, a motoring journalist and founder of the Fair Change campaign group for EVs, chimed in on the situation. He called the hospital’s decision “misinformation erroneously shaping public policy,” highlighting how it hinders progress. Wilson further emphasized the contradiction, stating that restricting EVs from car parks “dramatically conflicts with the clean air and health benefits of zero-tailpipe emissions.”
