Impact Tests

The special risks associated with conducting crash tests on E-Vehicles can be divided into two main categories; 1) thermal activity inside the battery (resulting from electrical or mechanical abuse) may lead to energetic emission of harmful and/or flammable gases, thermal runaway, and potentially fire, and 2) the risk of electrocution. Procedures to ensure protection from all types of risk must be integrated into the entire crash test process. This informational report is intended to provide guidance in this endeavor using current best practices at the time of this publication. As both battery technology and battery management system technology is in a phase of expansion, the contents of this report must then be gaged against current technology of the time, and updated periodically to retain its applicability and usefulness.
The scope of this document is to provide an understanding of the risks and an overview of the techniques established to reduce the likelihood that an event would cause harm to laboratory personnel and/or property. A laboratory considering E-Vehicle crash testing should work closely with the E-Vehicle manufacturer to identify and understand the risks associated with shipping and handling of their vehicle (pre and post-crash), storage of the vehicle (pre and post-crash), battery system diagnostics procedures, and operation of the vehicle.

Electric, Fuel Cell and Hybrid vehicles may contain many types of high voltage systems. Adequate barriers between occupants and the high voltage systems are necessary to provide protection from potentially harmful electric current and materials within the high voltage system that can cause injury to occupants of the vehicle during and after a crash. This SAE Recommended Practice is applicable to Electric, Fuel Cell and Hybrid vehicle designs that are comprised of at least one vehicle propulsion voltage bus with a nominal operating voltage greater than 60 and less than 1,500 VDC, or greater than 30 and less than 1,000 VAC. This Recommended Practice addresses post-crash electrical safety, retention of electrical propulsion components and electrolyte spillage.