While the number of electric cars in Turkey is rapidly increasing, news of fires from different cities has also begun to attract attention. Most recently, the fire that engulfed a parked electric car in Akhisar district of Manisa brought electric vehicle fires to the forefront once again.

So, what electric vehicle fires have occurred in Türkiye recently? Why do these vehicles catch fire, and is an electric car fire valued differently than a gasoline or diesel car fire?

Electric car parked in Akhisar catches fire

On the morning of August 15th, a fire broke out in an electric car parked in the Kethüda neighborhood of Akhisar. As a result of the incident, which was attended by fire crews, the car became unusable.

There is currently no definitive determination of the cause of the fire. Therefore, it is not possible to say at this stage that the incident originated from the battery. Vehicle fires can occur for numerous different reasons, from electrical installations to external factors.

The incident in Akhisar is not the only electric car fire recorded in Türkiye in recent times.

Electric vehicle fires are becoming more frequent in Turkey.

As the electric vehicle fleet in Turkey grows, it is not surprising that the absolute number of fire incidents involving these vehicles is also increasing. The occurrence of more than one Skywell ET5 fire in Turkey before, and the fact that the matter was taken to the point of an official investigation request, was one of the striking examples of this.

In addition to fires involving electric vehicles in different districts of Istanbul such as Maltepe, Kadıköy, Sarıyer, Zeytinburnu and Ataşehir, an electric car that caught fire during charging was recorded in Kayseri in July 2026.

However, a critical distinction needs to be made here. The fact that electric vehicle fires are seen more frequently in the news does not mean that these vehicles catch fire more often than gasoline and diesel cars.

Do gasoline and diesel vehicles or electric vehicles catch fire more often?

Since there is no comprehensive and up-to-date fire data database in Turkey that ratios the number of vehicles to fuel type, it is difficult to give a precise ratio specific to our country. However, studies conducted in countries where electric vehicles are much more common provide a valuable comparison.

The 2022 data from the Swedish Civil Protection and Emergency Management Agency (MSB) is one of the most referenced studies in this regard. Approximately 23 fires were recorded among 611,000 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. This corresponds to approximately 0.004% of the vehicle fleet. In the same period, 3,400 fires were recorded among approximately 4.4 million gasoline and diesel cars. The rate for internal combustion vehicles was approximately 0.08 percent.

In other words, the 2022 Swedish dataset shows that the fire incidence rate for gasoline and diesel cars is approximately 20 times higher than for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

However, it is not accurate to generalize this rate directly to all countries and all vehicle fleets. Variables such as vehicle age, usage type, and registration methodology, especially the younger age of the electric vehicle fleet, can affect the results.

Therefore, these numbers do not mean that electric cars are completely risk-free in terms of fire. On the contrary, the current data does not support the perception that sometimes arises in the public that

“electric cars always catch fire” .

So why are we seeing more electric vehicle fires?

The fact that electric cars are now rapidly becoming widespread and closely followed by the public is a significant factor here. Elements not found in internal combustion engine cars, such as battery, charging, and thermal runaway, can cause electric vehicle fires to have a higher news value. In particular, the image of an electric car engulfed in flames can quickly reach a wide audience on social media.

Electric cars, which were quite limited in number in Turkey a few years ago, are now much more frequently encountered in daily traffic. As the number of vehicles increases, it is a natural consequence that the total number of accidents, breakdowns, and fires involving these vehicles also increases.

The important point here is that the total number of incidents should not be confused with the fire rate per vehicle. For example, the fact that the number of fires has increased while the electric vehicle fleet has doubled in a few years does not, by itself, indicate that vehicles have become more dangerous. To make a healthy assessment, the number of fires needs to be compared to the total number of vehicles in traffic.

The influence of social media can also reinforce this perception. Before the cause of the fire is determined, the incident is directly linked to the vehicle’s battery based on images.

However, “an electric car burned” and “a fire broke out due to the electric car’s battery” are not exactly the same thing. The starting point and cause of the fire need to be determined through technical investigation.

Factors such as the age of the vehicles, the mileage covered, whether they were involved in an accident, whether the fire occurred during charging, and most importantly, whether the fire actually started from the battery, also need to be taken into consideration.

One of the shortcomings in Turkey emerges here. There is no comprehensive and publicly available national data set that ratios the number of fires in electric and internal combustion vehicles to the number of vehicles, and separately classifies the causes of the fires.

Why is extinguishing electric vehicle fires more difficult?

The main problem in electric vehicle fires is not just the flames themselves. The thermal runaway process that can occur in lithium-ion batteries makes fire intervention different from internal combustion vehicles.

Uncontrolled heating starting in one battery cell can spread to surrounding cells. As a result of this chain reaction, high temperatures can occur in the battery pack.

Even if the external flames are brought under control, high temperatures can be maintained due to the ongoing chemical reaction in the battery cells. If sufficient cooling is not provided, the battery can reignite.

Therefore, reducing the temperature of the battery pack is critically important in responding to electric vehicle fires. In Türkiye, it is observed that fire departments are also developing different equipment and procedures for this new type of risk. For example, it was reported that the Nevşehir Municipality Fire Department developed special fire extinguishing and cooling equipment to facilitate direct intervention in the battery compartment of electric vehicles by 2025.

In addition to thermal leakage and the possibility of re-ignition, high-voltage systems and toxic gases that may be released during a fire can also make intervention in electric vehicle fires more complex.

Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between two different issues regarding electric cars: the probability of a fire occurring and how to intervene after a fire has started.

Current international data does not show that electric cars catch fire more frequently. However, when a battery fire occurs, the extinguishing and cooling process may require different procedures than for classic vehicle fires.

Electric cars are not fire bombs, but it is necessary to be prepared for new risks.

The recent incident in Akhisar and the Skywell ET5 fires we previously brought up naturally raise questions about the safety of electric cars.

However, it is not possible with the current data to conclude that electric cars pose a higher fire risk than gasoline or diesel vehicles based on individual fires. In fact, some comparable international data currently indicate the exact opposite.

On the other hand, it is necessary not to ignore the fact that electric car fires are different. Factors such as thermal runaway, the possibility of re-ignition, high-voltage systems, and the need for prolonged battery cooling necessitate new procedures, especially for fire brigades, enclosed parking garages, and charging stations.

It is understandable that every fire that occurs in Turkey, where electric vehicles are rapidly becoming widespread, attracts more attention. However, in the coming period, it will be much healthier to conduct the discussion not only on the basis of individual fire incidents, but also on the fire rates per vehicle and the real causes of the fires.

The exact cause of the fire in Akhisar will be revealed as a result of the investigations. Whether this incident was battery-related is currently unknown.

Do you think electric vehicle fires are actually more frequent, or are the incidents attracting more attention because these vehicles are newer? You can share your opinions in the comments.