More weight and speed: Concerns about the safety of electric cars
The electric car can be seen more and more often on the road. According to Jennifer Homendy, head of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the transition from gasoline and diesel cars to electric vehicles raises safety concerns.
The NTSB is concerned with road safety within the United States and outside the United States when it comes to US transportation. For example, they investigate road accidents.
Concerns about the safety of electric cars
This time, Homendy expresses her concern about the safety of gas car drivers when electric cars are on the road. In a speech in Washington, she notes that electric cars weigh a lot more than gas cars. Of course we already knew that.
Example: The Volvo XC90 T5 with automatic transmission and all-wheel drive weighs 1942 kg. If SUV buyers want to go electric, the choice is simple: the EX90. The car is a bit larger, although it’s clear where much of the 2,718 kilogram weight comes from: the battery.
Battery of an electric vehicle as heavy as a car
Homendy states that the electric GMC Hummer weighs more than 4,000 kilograms and the battery pack 1,300 kilograms. “That means the battery pack alone weighs about the same as a Honda Civic driving on the same road,” she says.
“I’m concerned about the increased risk of serious injury and death to all road users from higher curb weights and increasing size, power and performance of vehicles, including electric vehicles, on our roads,” the NTSB chief said. “We have to be careful that we don’t also have unintended consequences: more deaths on our roads.”
The performance of electric cars can also pose a safety issue
It’s not just the weight that can affect safety. Electricity can also cause problems. Electric cars deliver full power almost immediately and usually have more horsepower. “It’s just a matter of mass and speed,” says Homendy.
The NTSB has not yet proposed a direct solution to the potential problem. It is also unclear whether electric vehicles really increase road safety. After all, these are often cars with advanced driver assistance systems.