Promoting battery electric vehicle safety

More battery electric vehicles (BEV) are on the road than ever before, a portion that’s expected only to grow thanks to a number of factors. The Scott Institute for Energy Innovation and the Safety21 National University Transportation Center have produced a policy brief, Improving Safety for Battery Electric Vehicles, that offers technology and policy recommendations to increase BEV safety as more people get behind the wheel.

BEVs are becoming more price competitive due to the lower cost of electricity and batteries compared with gasoline. Additionally, there is an emerging used BEV market, another means for consumers to purchase battery electric vehicles at a more affordable price. In recent years, legislative measures have established tax credits for purchasing certain BEV models that were manufactured in the United States as a way to increase uptake. All of the economic factors complement the fact that BEVs have a much smaller carbon footprint compared to gas-powered vehicles. 

“The improvements in battery technology and vehicle performance have been very impressive,” said Chris Hendrickson, faculty director of the Traffic21 transportation research institute at Carnegie Mellon. “That being said, there are still some owner anxieties about having electric vehicles. Most consumers are not familiar with the characteristics of the technology, but the policy brief addresses the issue of safety, which has gotten some media attention.”

The recommendations are relevant to industry, local, and federal entities. The proposed measures range from flame retardant coatings for battery packs to comprehensive first responder training that better prepares them to contain and extinguish BEV fires. The former speaks to manufacturing and the latter is an example of how public resources can become more equipped to handle an emerging technology; both are aimed to improve safety and save lives. 

First responder training is particularly important because of the unique characteristics of BEV fires such as such as the possibility of short circuiting caused by prolonged submersion in saltwater, or overheating that can result from exposure to house fires. BEV fires can potentially release toxic materials from their batteries.

In many ways, policy briefs promote decarbonization by picking up where research leaves off and providing recommendations that allow clean energy technologies to safely and effectively integrate into society. It’s a cycle that Karen Lightman refers to as research and development, and deployment. 

“Research is important, but if you want to affect change, you have to affect policy,” said Lightman, the executive director of Safety21. “The policy brief is an important resource because decision-makers don’t have expertise in every technical field, so we offer one-pagers and infographics as a way to distill the most important information.” 

This topic has both a national and international audience. While BEVs produced in China, for example, are not eligible for U.S. tax credits, they are sold elsewhere, including in Europe. Their wide reach is thought to be because the vehicles are affordable while including automation features that contribute to fuel efficiency. 

“As BEVs become more widespread, advancing safety measures through technology, policy, and first responder training is essential,” said Lightman. “The recommendations in this policy brief will help ensure a safer transition to electric transportation and safer transportation overall.”