Safety progress has been phenomenal in the automotive industry. From seatbelts becoming a legal requirement in 1965, today vehicles go through strict safety and impact testing and come equipped with airbags, tyre pressure monitoring systems, anti-lock braking systems, and are also able to monitor blind spots and even detect and warn drivers when they are too tired to drive.
Through the need for more sustainable forms of transport, we have seen the emergence of battery-powered electric vehicles on our roads. While these vehicles come equipped with all the latest safety features, they do pose new risks that aren’t familiar for a society used to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
Understanding the differences between these vehicles and their ICE-powered counterparts is vital to keeping drivers, road users and emergency services safe, and ultimately will support the wider uptake of these vehicles.
Understanding the risks EVs pose
Currently, the most common technology is battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs), but the speed at which users have looked to seek this more sustainable solution for their transport needs has led to a lack of awareness of the risk that the technology poses.
For many consumers, EVs are perceived to be safer than their combustion counterparts, which mostly can be down to the wider experience of using battery-powered technology in domestic contexts. However, in the case of a serious EV incident, such as a fire, it is a far more complex situation to gain control of.
For example, battery fires can be extremely difficult to put out and can burn for a significant amount of time. In the absence of suitable solutions to control the situation, many manufacturers have given recommendations to let vehicles burn themselves out in a safe location. This can have a significant impact on the road infrastructure and put the driver and other road users at risk.
This understanding is also impacting the way in which emergency services and road recovery companies are able to deal with an incident. Even the most skilled of individuals are being left unsure of how best to handle an event that involves a battery-powered vehicle. This leaves them not only at risk of electrocution but also exposed to chemicals housed within a battery cell.
It is also important to consider potential risks around the charging and the storage of EVs. Whether this is ensuring appropriate charging facilities are available, including detailed attention to the location of public charging points. In many cases charging points can be found within multistorey buildings, however, should there be an incident involving a charging vehicle, the risk extends far beyond the vehicle itself but also to other users of the infrastructure.
Furthermore, unlike damaged ICE-powered vehicles, EVs with damaged battery packs can still present a fire risk weeks after being decommissioned. Ultimately, there is a need for new protocols and awareness of the risks surrounding the end-of-life treatment of vehicles.
How can HORIBA MIRA help?
To support building a wider understanding of these risks, world-class vehicle engineering, test and development consultancy, HORIBA MIRA, has developed a series of training courses around EV safety. This includes an EV recovery course and an Advanced EV Safety Training course that have both been accredited by the Institute of The Motor Industry (IMI). Both of which have been created with vehicle recovery operators, emergency services and anyone who may attend a roadside incident in mind. The courses are available online and take only a short amount of time to complete, offering a simple but effective way for key individuals to further their understanding of how to deal with the risks EVs pose.
Furthermore, HORIBA MIRA has created Project EVER (Electric Vehicle Emergency Response), an industry working group that is dedicated to furthering knowledge and training on how to manage EV thermal events. The Project EVER group pulls in experts from across the industry, including vehicle and component manufacturers, test houses, universities, government agencies and first response groups.
Based on this, HORIBA MIRA has also developed guidance for the Department for Transport to advise the safe recovery of damaged EVs from the road.
EVs are not any more dangerous than conventional vehicles, but they are dangerous in a different way. Understanding the new risks that have emerged is key to the future of these vehicles. Likewise, ensuring that first responders, drivers and fellow road users understand the risks they pose, and how to deal with a potential incident, along with how we develop suitable infrastructure to house this technology, will ensure that EVs continue to play this important role.
The xEV Recovery from Roadside Incidents Training is available here: https://bit.ly/3doweo6
The Hybrid Advanced Electric Vehicle Safety Awareness training course is available here: https://bit.ly/3QGENJj
To learn more about HORIBA MIRA, visit www.horiba-mira.com