Challenges of Safely Transitioning to Electric Vehicles

There are now more than one million electric vehicles on the road, and more than 100 countries have pledged to achieve net-zero emissions in the coming decades. Although EVs are replacing internal combustion engine vehicles on our roads, in many ways they are still in their technological infancy, creating new challenges for manufacturers, drivers, governments, and safety personnel to overcome — especially when it comes to batteries. 

It's the subject of an article published in Sedgwick Brand Protection: State of the Nation 2024 Recall Index Report by Exponent's Ryan Spray, Nicholas Faenza, and Jason Hertzberg, which explores some of the key obstacles in transitioning to EVs and opportunities to mitigate risk, including: 

• Lithium-ion battery thermal runaway events and warning systems
• Novel battery chemistries to make EVs lighter, safer, and more affordable
• Real-world impacts on EV driving ranges

From the article: "While today's EV battery management systems often provide warnings for abnormal readings of key parameters. (e.g., temperature, cell voltage, and isolation resistance), opportunities exist for manufacturers to develop advanced, data-driven approaches to maximize the safety and performance of battery packs."