1 Introduction
The European Commission (EC) awarded a project to TRL to review the type-approval legislation for electric vehicles and the potential safety risks. The specific objectives of the project were:

• To provide recommendations on the completion of EC (and UNECE) type-approval requirements for electric vehicles;
• To assess potential risks associated with electric propulsion that are not covered by legislation, including EC and UNECE regulations;
• To provide recommendations on appropriate legislative action if potential risks are identified.

The project focused on M and N category vehicles, from mild hybrids to purely-electric vehicles. There were two main strands to the project. Firstly, the type-approval directives and regulations on vehicle safety and environmental performance were reviewed by TRL experts. The review determined whether the technical requirements were compatible with electric vehicles. Wherever the approval of an electric vehicle might present a problem (due to the way the directive or regulation was written), TRL examined international standards and non-EC legislation to identify possible solutions. Published literature was also sought. The intention was to propose outlines for amendments to the directive or regulation that would permit the type-approval of electric vehicles. Existing proposals for amendments were also taken into account.

The second strand of the project concerned the potential safety risks of electric vehicles. Many of the hazards associated with these vehicles will be dealt with through existing EC or UNECE type-approval legislation (provided that it is compatible). However, certain aspects of electric vehicles are potentially very different from conventional vehicles. There may be additional risks that are not covered by the current legislation because it was written for conventional vehicles. TRL reviewed literature to identify such hazards and performed a technical analysis of the findings. It was not the intention to imply that electric vehicles are inherently unsafe or would expose the public to greater risks than conventional vehicles. Instead, the focus was on specific hazards that might not be regulated under current EC or UNECE type-approval legislation.

During the course of the project TRL engaged with a variety of stakeholders including vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers, type-approval authorities and test laboratories. This took place on an individual basis through telephone discussions and face-to-face meetings. In addition, a group stakeholder meeting was held in Brussels to present the findings of the interim report and to obtain feedback from the stakeholders.

1.1 Background on electric vehicles
Electric vehicles have the potential to contribute to significant reductions in both carbon emissions and the world‘s dependence on oil as its prime transport fuel. Even when the electricity itself is far from low carbon, such as when the generation mix contains a large proportion of unabated coal-fired power stations, the greater energy conversion efficiency of the electric motors mean overall life cycle emissions (known as ―well-to-wheel‖) are often lower than conventional petrol and diesel alternatives. As electricity generation across the EU becomes lower carbon (in line with policies such as the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and the Renewable Energy Directive), the potential for electric vehicles becomes even greater. Decarbonisation of the electricity sector is possible by various measures, many well-established and others under development, including through end-use efficiency gains, the expansion of renewable and nuclear sources, carbon capture and storage, and switching from coal to natural gas. The UK Government‘s King Review (King, 2007), for example, suggested that electric vehicles (passenger cars) could achieve CO2 emissions as low as 30 g/km by 2030 (from 80 g/km now). Average new car emissions in 2008 across the EU were over 150 g/km, based mainly on conventional internal combustion engines using (largely fossil) petrol or diesel.

For this potential to be realised, however, electric vehicle manufacturers must be able to produce and sell their vehicles to the mass market. To do so, the vehicles will have to meet a wide range of legislative requirements, covering both their safety and environmental performance, just as mass-produced internal combustion engine vehicles do today.

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