On 24^th March, the EMOBILNOST project held its kick-off meeting at ZAG Fire Laboratory, marking the official start of a research initiative set to run until October 2027. The project, formally titled "Addressing the risks of lithium-ion battery fires in the mobility and in facilities", is funded by the Slovenian Ministry of Defence (MORS) with a total budget of €250,000, of which €220,000 is allocated to ZAG as project coordinator.

The meeting brought together the core project team: Dr Ulises Rojas-Alva and Dr Aleš Jug representing ZAG, Tomaž Ažbe from the Ljubljana Fire Brigade, and Prof Simon Muhič from the Faculty of Industrial Engineering, University of Novo Mesto. The gathering provided an opportunity to align on project objectives, establish working procedures, and lay the groundwork for the collaborative research programme ahead.

EMOBILNOST will investigate fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries (LIB) across e-mobility applications and built environment facilities. The project combines statistical analysis, regulatory review, and controlled laboratory fire testing to develop and validate new methodologies for quantifying LIB fire risks. Key research areas include thermal runaway mechanisms, toxic gas emissions, re-ignition behaviour, and firefighter safety during intervention.

Beyond the scientific work, the project places strong emphasis on practical outcomes: assessing the effectiveness of suppression systems and firefighting tactics, and defining criteria for safe post-intervention handling. Results will be consolidated into a comprehensive safety and recommendations framework to support improvements to existing guidelines, potential regulatory updates, and targeted training programmes for both professional and volunteer firefighters.

The involvement of the Ljubljana Fire Brigade and the Faculty of Industrial Engineering ensures that knowledge generated in the laboratory is translated directly into operational practice, a defining feature of the EMOBILNOST approach.