An internal combustion engine (ICE) is a heat engine that converts the chemical energy in a fuel, such as gasoline or diesel, into mechanical energy by burning the fuel inside the engine. It powers most cars, trucks and motorcycles on the road today.
Much of how parking structures are designed traces back to the ICE vehicle. Exhaust gases drove ventilation requirements, fuel drove fire protection assumptions, and the vehicle’s range and refueling pattern meant cars never needed to charge where they parked.
How ICE vehicles shaped parking design
- Ventilation. Enclosed garages are ventilated to dilute carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide from exhaust. See mechanical ventilation.
- Openness. Open parking structures rely on natural airflow, which is why codes define minimum openings. See open-air facility.
- Fire protection. Fire codes and sprinkler design reflect vehicle fires fueled by gasoline and plastics.
What changes with EVs
Electric vehicles produce no tailpipe exhaust, so ventilation demand falls as the fleet changes, while charging adds electrical load and new fire considerations such as thermal runaway. Mixed fleets will park side by side for decades, so facilities must serve both.
The Parkonomics view
The ICE vehicle is the reason garages are designed the way they are. As the fleet shifts, the assumptions built around exhaust and refueling are the ones to revisit first.
Related terms: Electric Vehicle, Plug-In Electric Vehicle, Carbon Monoxide, Mechanical Ventilation, Demand-Controlled Ventilation