New data from the Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV) and Brandweer Nederland confirms that Crash Recovery System has become standard practice for Dutch fire brigades responding to incidents involving alternative fuel vehicles.
The NIPV Annual Report 2025 recorded 430 incidents involving alternative fuel vehicles in the Netherlands last year, covering 449 vehicles across 254 fires and 176 accidents. Battery electric vehicles accounted for the largest share of incidents, followed by plug-in hybrids. The full report and factsheet are available at nipv.nl.
CRS is standard equipment
According to the report, Crash Recovery System was used in 93% of fire incidents and 86% of accident incidents involving alternative fuel vehicles. This places CRS alongside thermal imaging cameras as one of the most frequently used resources by Dutch fire brigades when responding to these incidents.
The reason is practical. Modern vehicles contain high-voltage battery systems, reinforced structures, and safety components that are not visible from the outside. Each vehicle model has a different configuration. CRS provides first responders with instant access to this information through a licence plate lookup, showing vehicle structure, battery locations, airbag systems, and safe cutting points before extrication begins.
A growing challenge for fire services across Europe
The Netherlands is not an exception. Fleet electrification is accelerating across Europe, and the number of alternative fuel vehicles on the road continues to rise. For fire services, this means that every incident increasingly involves vehicle technologies that require specific knowledge to handle safely.
The NIPV data demonstrates that fire services who have access to accurate, up-to-date vehicle information are already using it as part of their standard response. As the variety and complexity of vehicles on European roads continues to grow, this need will only increase.
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