A new international agreement supported by the European Union, the United States and Japan could help pave the way for the widespread uptake of electric cars.
Under the new proposed co-operating agreement two working groups will work on addressing two key areas of concern for helping accelerate the worldwide acceptance of electric cars; safety and environmental regulations.
The initiative was taken by the European Commission, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan with the new co-operation agreed in Geneva today.
By working to converge regulations and standards affecting electric cars the groups hope to promote cost savings through economies of scale for automotive manufacturers and pave the way for widespread acceptance of electric cars.
European Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani, responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship, said: "This is a crucial step towards the development and reach out of electric cars. The regulatory cooperation agreement will help to increase the market potential for this important breakthrough technology, contributing for competitiveness and a more sustainable road transport".
The two working groups are open to all countries that are contracting parties to the relevant UN Agreement, including India and China.
Investigating safety, the first working group will address the safety aspects of electric vehicles and their components, including the battery. It will cover the safety of occupants against electric shocks in-use, while recharging as well as after an accident.
The aim of both groups will be to ultimately exchange information on current and future regulatory.
