NHTSA has proposed changes to its regulation of electric vehicle safety under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) through this proposed rule, which is framed by the agency as an amendment to FMVSS No. 305 that achieves two goals. NHTSA is expanding the applicability to vehicles with over 10,000 lbs GVWR, as well as harmonizing federal regulations with Global Technical Regulation (GTR) No. 20, “Electric Vehicle Safety.” One of the proposed new requirements is meant to ensure that EV batteries operate within manufacturer-specified functional range. NHTSA does not foresee any notable compliance costs associated with the proposal due to the voluntary implementation of GTR No. 20 by domestic manufacturers. [Full Text Here]
