According to foreign media reports, since a Mercedes-Benz electric car caught fire in South Korea in early August, the issue of fire safety has once again become a hot topic, prompting not only the South Korean government to require electric car makers to disclose their battery suppliers, but also prompting a number of countries, including the United States, to discuss the issue of fire safety of electric mobility products.
U.S. federal and state lawmakers are reportedly considering lithium-ion battery regulations to prevent fires.
U.S. federal lawmakers are working on two companion bills to ensure the safety of lithium-ion batteries for all electric mobility vehicles, including e-bikes. Both bills are currently before the Senate.
In May, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to develop new standards for batteries and other devices such as chargers, harnesses, and outer packaging, and on August 1, the Senate Commerce Committee approved one of the bills that would require the CPSC to develop new battery standards.
We’ve witnessed fires, deaths and injuries caused by batteries across the country,” said Gabe Knight, safety policy analyst at Consumer Reports. Ultimately, it’s important that we have federal regulations in place to ensure that people across the U.S. are protected, and that’s very important.”
Analysts also noted that government authorities and the EV industry need to find ways to ease public concerns about safety in the EV industry as soon as possible. Esther Yim, an analyst at South Korea’s Samsung Securities, said, “A series of EV fire accidents in underground parking lots has made consumers increasingly distrustful of EVs, which could prolong the current downturn in the EV market.” She called on all parties concerned to take measures to reassure consumers