Electric Vehicles Pose Safety Threat

A recent report by the US National Transportation Safety Board has highlighted new safety implications that are emerging from the electric vehicle trend.

Electric SUVs and utility trucks can weigh twice as much as their petrol or diesel equivalents, and you may have noticed every year our utes and SUVs are getting bigger.

The larger electric SUVs and pick-up trucks in North America can exceed four (4) tonnes, and other road users in lighter conventional vehicles are at greater risk of serious injury in a collision.

The report notes that demand by consumers for more range in electric vehicles is leading to bigger and heavier batteries. They go onto to state “bigger, heavier batteries are going to cause more damage (in accidents)”, that is pure science.

The NTSB also pointed out that electric vehicles will likely require new test procedures, equipment, and possibly new facilities to conduct appropriate crash tests on large heavy electric vehicles.

However, the good news is that electric vehicle occupants will likely be well protected eg Rivian R1T electric vehicle became the first electric pick-up to receive the top safety rating in the US last December.