Safety

Key facts

"On average, the odds of being injured in a crash are 25 percent lower for people in hybrids than people traveling in nonhybrid models" (Hybrid Models Have Lower Injury Odds)

The Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt are both named Top Safety Picks by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. 

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) primarily defines the standards and recommended practices for product function. For more information, visit their website.

Underwriter's Labs (UL) primarily writes standards to which products can be tested for safety. For more information, visit their website.

The National Electric Code (NEC) if published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and describes how electrical products must be installed in vehicles. For more information, visit their website

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Recent news

• Turning up the heat: Argonne’s thermal cell facility puts vehicles to the test
  Argonne National Laboratory’s world-class Advanced Powertrain Research Facility (APRF) now includes a thermal chamber that can deliver temperatures ranging from frigid cold to sweltering heat. For electric-drive vehicles, scientists can observe how extreme temperatures influence the functioning of battery packs, as well as battery cooling and heating systems. Armed with this information, they can search for ways to improve battery life and energy delivery.
• Hybrid Models Have Lower - 17-Nov-2011
  Hybrid Models Have Lower Injury Odds Than Their Conventional Counterparts, Highway Loss Data Institute - November 17, 2011
• EDTA Hosts EVS26 in Los Angeles: EVS is the largest electric drive conference series in the world
  The Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) hosted the 26th Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles from May 6-9. EVS26: Great Minds Think Electric, brought more than 5,000 people from 47 countries, and international press, to California, the largest market for electric drive transportation.
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Electric Vehicle Safety Technical Symposium
  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is announcing a technical symposium that will be held in Washington, DC on May 18, 2012 to discuss safety considerations for electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. The symposium will include brief NHTSA presentations outlining current agency research and activities related to Li-ion batteries and Li-ion battery-powered vehicles, as well as presentations by the Department of Energy, voluntary standards bodies, and automotive and battery manufacturers. Information on the date, time, location, and framework for this public event is included in this notice. Because of space limitations, registration by May 11, 2012 is highly recommended. There are no fees to register or to attend this event.
• Standardization Roadmap for U.S. Electric Vehicle Deployment Released
  The Standardization Roadmap assesses the standards, codes, and regulations, as well as conformance and training programs, needed to facilitate the safe, mass deployment of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure in the United States
• Report 2012: Standardization Roadmap for Electric - April 2012
  Standardization Roadmap for Electric Vehicles, American National Standards Institute - April 2012