EV Safe South Africa – Perceptions and solutions to electric vehicle battery safety for greater rollout and prevention of inequitable harm

Summary

The rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) is crucial to a number of South Africa’s SDG goals, such as clean and affordable energy, but this rollout carries risks, such as EV fires and manufacturing job losses, which would inequitably harm the poorest communities. EV fires may also meaningfully act as a barrier to EV rollout.
The project will measure the perceptions of possible micromobility EV users to fires to determine how large the impediment to EV rollout is, as well as engage with government and manufacturers to understand the limitations and challenges of improving EV battery fire safety.
This will then feed into the development of a locally produced integrated battery cooling, charging and fire suppression options, through the combination of real-world data, numerical modelling and experimental testing.

Contact us