Fed official concerned that electric vehicles might be getting too heavy for safety
Battery packs can weigh thousands of pounds
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Many of today's electric vehicles are big and powerful, perhaps too much so, according to the head of the National Transportation Safety Board.
NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said she's worried that the weight of electric vehicles poses a safety threat.
"I’m concerned about the increased risk of severe injury and death for all road users from heavier curb weights and increasing size, power and performance of vehicles on our roads, including electric vehicles," Homendy said in remarks prepared for the group.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a speech to the Transportation Research Board on Wednesday, Homendy singled out the GMC Hummer EV, which can accelerate to 60 mph as quickly as a sports car and weighs roughly 9,000 pounds, nearly a third of which is due to its 200 kilowatt-hour battery pack.
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The Rivian R1T aced its IIHS crash test. (IIHS)
The issue recently led the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to test its crash-testing equipment to see if it could handle the upcoming wave of EVs, like the 7,000-pound Rivian R1T midsize pickup that received the highest safety rating.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We have to be careful that we aren’t also creating unintended consequences: More death on our roads," Homendy said. "Safety, especially when it comes to new transportation policies and new technologies, cannot be overlooked."
The F-150 Lightning has a battery pack mounted within its frame. (Ford)
Homendy said the Ford F-150 Lightning EV pickup weighs 2,000 to 3,000 pounds more than internal combustion engine models. Ford sold 15,000 in 2022 and plans to be producing it at a rate of 150,000 by the end of this year.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The NTSB is tasked with investigating accidents and safety issues, but it is only advisory and has no direct regulatory authority.
The head of the Center for Auto Safety echoed Homendy's concerns.
The GMC Hummer EV can accelerate to 60 mph in three seconds. (GMC)
"These bigger, heavier batteries are going to cause more damage," he told the Associated Press. "It's a simple matter of mass and speed."
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The center conducted a study in 2011 that found that adding 1,000 pounds to the weight of a vehicle could increase the likelihood of being killed in a crash by 47%.
President Biden, whose administration has pushed billions in electric vehicle and charging infrastructure subsidies, experienced the 1,000 hp Hummer EV's performance during a test drive at a GM factory in 2021 and said, "This sucker is something else."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.