Amerikaans verkeersveiligheidsbureau in de bres voor elektro-auto's

NHTSA
De National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) onderzocht de brandveiligheid van elektrische auto’s nadat de accu’s van een aantal elektrische Chevrolets Volt vlam vatte na crashtetst. Na twee maanden onderzoek concludeert de instantie dat elektrische auto’s net zo brandveilig zijn als conventionele auto’s met een verbrandingsmotor. Ook stelt de NHTSA dat de aanpassingen die General Motors aan de Chevrolet Volt meer dan volstaan om het batterijpakket te beschermen in een crash en brand te voorkomen. General Motors laat weten blij te zijn dat het onderzoek van de NHTSA is afgerond. “Samen met de NHTSA hebben we aanpassingen aan de constructie van de Volt ontwikkeld die de brandveilighied in een crash waarborgen. We zijn trots op onze elektrische aandrijftechniek,” aldus General Motors.

PERSBERICHT

NHTSA Statement on Conclusion of Chevy Volt Investigation

January 20, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released the following statement today regarding the conclusion of its safety defect investigation into the post-crash fire risk of Chevy Volts (PE11037):

Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed its safety defect investigation into the potential risk of fire in Chevy Volts that have been involved in a serious crash. Opened on November 25, the agency’s investigation has concluded that no discernible defect trend exists and that the vehicle modifications recently developed by General Motors reduce the potential for battery intrusion resulting from side impacts.

NHTSA remains unaware of any real-world crashes that have resulted in a battery-related fire involving the Chevy Volt or any other electric vehicle. NHTSA continues to believe that electric vehicles show great promise as a safe and fuel-efficient option for American drivers. However, as the reports released in conjunction with the closure of the investigation today indicate, fires following NHTSA crash tests of the vehicle and its battery components – and the innovative nature of this emerging technology – led the agency to take the unusual step of opening a safety defect investigation in the absence of data from real-world incidents.

Based on the available data, NHTSA does not believe that Chevy Volts or other electric vehicles pose a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles. Generally all vehicles have some risk of fire in the event of a serious crash. However, electric vehicles have specific attributes that should be made clear to consumers, the emergency response community, and tow truck operators and storage facilities. Recognizing these considerations, NHTSA has developed interim guidance – with the assistance of the National Fire Protection Association, the Department of Energy, and others – to increase awareness and identify appropriate safety measures for these groups. The agency expects this guidance will help inform the ongoing work by NFPA, DOE, and vehicle manufacturers to educate the emergency response community, law enforcement officers, and others about electric vehicles.

For additional information on the Volt investigation and others, visit www.SaferCar.gov.

GM Statement
NHTSA’s decision to close their investigation is consistent with the results of our internal testing and assessment. The engineering enhancements that GM announced January 5, 2012 will provide additional protection for the battery minimizing the risk of a post-crash fire in the days and weeks after a severe crash and rollover.

The voluntary action that GM is taking is intended to make a safe vehicle even safer. In fact, the Volt has earned top safety ratings from key 3rd party organizations and is a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

GM is proud of the technological innovation the Volt represents. We appreciate the confidence our Volt customers continued to provide during the investigation. Our overriding commitment will always be to provide our customers with the best ownership experience and peace of mind in the industry and we’re focused on delivering that every day.