Second Annual Electric Vehicle Safety Standards Summit Report Available
More than 140 fire and electric safety professionals gathered at the meeting to review and refine the current implementation plan for electric vehicles and identify and address any obstacles related to fire and electrical safety standards.
In the last several years, the U.S. has seen a resurgence of electric and hybrid electric vehicles. With many more of these cars on the roadway, implementing safety codes and standards associated with these vehicles remains paramount, according to the National Fire Protection Research Foundation (NFPA).
The Fire Protection Research Foundation (Foundation), an affiliate of NFPA, recently released a report on the findings from the Second Annual Electric Vehicle Safety Standards Summit held Sept. 27-28 in Detroit. More than 140 fire and electric safety professionals gathered at the meeting to review and refine the current implementation plan for electric vehicles and identify and address any obstacles related to fire and electrical safety standards.
Co-hosted by NFPA and SAE International, the second Summit is a continuation of the dialogue from the original Summit held in October 2010 that focused on building infrastructure supporting electrical vehicles and the concerns of the emergency response community, in addition to safety-related codes and standards issues.
“As the number of electric vehicles on U.S. roadways continues to grow, it is imperative to formulate action plans, develop training, and fill any gaps within related codes and standards,” said Christian Dubay, P.E., NFPA vice president of codes and standards, and chief engineer. “Stakeholders made significant progress in addressing these areas at the second Summit, but there’s still more work to be done.”
Participants at this year’s Summit included vehicle designers, battery manufacturers, emergency responders, charging station suppliers, public utilities, facility insurers, and salvage operators. They identified four key issues that will serve as the basis for future research, planning, and implementation including battery hazard research, electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and electrical load standardization, comprehensive stakeholder involvement, and vehicle and component standardization. Other key areas include training and education, and data analysis.
For more information about the 2011 Summit and to download the report, visit the reports and proceedings page of the Foundation’s website or www.evsafetytraining.org/summit.