Electric Vehicle Charging in Garages Not Banned, Clarifies Fire Safety Authority

Electric Vehicle Charging Not Banned in Garages

Recently, a debate has emerged among residents regarding the installation of charging piles in common parking spaces at the Rongyu Phase II community in Tongzhou District. A question raised was whether owners who have not purchased designated “charging spaces” could install charging facilities in their ordinary parking spots.

According to recent information from the fire department, there is currently no mandatory prohibition in the national fire safety technical standards against charging electric vehicles in garages. As a result, the Beijing Municipal Fire Rescue Bureau has decided to retract a previous “Order to Correct by Deadline” issued by the Tongzhou District Fire Rescue Bureau to Beijing Wuyi Rongyu Property Management Co., Ltd.

The Rongyu Phase II community was completed and accepted in September 2023, and residents began moving in that same month. The developer of the community is Beijing Wuyi Real Estate Development Co., Ltd., with property services provided by Beijing Wuyi Rongyu Property Management Co., Ltd. The underground parking area includes a total of 1,592 parking spaces, all of which are equipped with the necessary electrical conditions for the installation of charging facilities.

In compliance with the “Technical Standards for Distributed Charging Facilities for Electric Vehicles,” the developer has separated 295 designated “charging spaces” with fire protection measures, which cost 30,000 yuan more than the standard unprotected spaces. After the handover in September 2023, owners who did not purchase “charging spaces” began to install electric vehicle charging facilities in their regular parking spots.

On March 21, 2024, the Tongzhou District Fire Rescue Bureau received a report indicating that the community’s underground garage did not meet the relevant fire safety standards outlined in the “Technical Standards for Distributed Charging Facilities for Electric Vehicles,” posing significant fire safety risks. On March 22, a site inspection was conducted, and the bureau issued an “Order to Correct by Deadline” to the property management company, citing violations of the aforementioned technical standards and the Fire Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China.

On May 10 of this year, at the invitation of the community’s residents, officials from the municipal and district fire rescue bureaus attended an offline meeting to listen to and understand the residents’ concerns. On May 15, an administrative investigation was launched into the actions of the Tongzhou District Fire Rescue Bureau regarding the issuance of the “Order to Correct by Deadline,” triggering internal law enforcement supervision procedures.

Following the investigation, the Municipal Fire Rescue Bureau concluded that the Tongzhou District Fire Rescue Bureau should not have used the recommended technical standards, which were not set as permit conditions during fire design review and acceptance, as the basis for assessing fire supervision results. Consequently, the “Order to Correct by Deadline” was revoked, and relevant personnel will be held accountable according to applicable regulations.

The fire department stated that the “Technical Standards for Distributed Charging Facilities for Electric Vehicles” are recommended standards, and there are currently no mandatory prohibitions against charging electric vehicles in garages in the national fire safety technical standards. Therefore, residents are advised to follow product usage instructions and prioritize safety during the charging process.