The European Commission (EC) has called for the introduction of new safety standards of electric cars to ensure that all EVs sold within the continent are safe to use.
The Commission proposed yesterday to introduce common safety standards that will reduce and simplify the current legislation surrounding the sale of electric cars. This should help speed up the introduction of electric cars and encourage growth within the EV market. The new standards are designed to ensure that electric cars placed on the European market are safe and that consumers are protected against direct contacts with parts of the car under voltage.
If adopted, the proposal means that the European countries would sign up to an existing set of safety standards established under the European law Regulation No. 100 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). Member states including the UK will now decide whether to adopt the standard.
Vice-President Antonio Tajani, responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship said: "Electrical vehicles are one of the most promising technologies for greener transport. Knowing that these will be generally available to consumers in the very near future we need to ensure that they are safe to use. These proposals aim at doing just that. Meanwhile I am pleased that we are reducing red-tape by eliminating what in reality is a double-burden for industry when it comes to car type approval.”
Harmonised test requirements on electric safety will simplify the approval of electric vehicles as it will replace divergent approval practices of some EU Member States and hence, result in reducing the administrative burden for manufacturers.
The proposal will also help European car manufacturer to sell their electric cars in third countries, which are contracting parties to the UNECE Agreement of 1958 (such as Japan).
