Electric cars ‘so heavy they can smash through motorway barriers'

Telegraph

15-03-2025

Heavy electric cars are more likely to smash through crash barriers, putting lives at risk, a transport trade body has warned.
The Vehicle Restraint Manufacturers Association (VRMA) has written to the Government claiming the extra weight of banks of batteries in electric cars means 'out of date' safety barriers on British motorways are at risk of being breached by an impact.
The group, which represents British manufacturers of road safety equipment, says design standards for barriers are failing to keep pace with the Government's commitment to promote electric vehicles.
While the average weight of a car with a petrol or diesel combustion engine is about 1.5 tonnes (1,500kg), electric vehicles usually weigh between 1.8 tonnes and 2.2 tonnes, the VRMA says.
However, 'vehicle restraint systems' – the metal barriers and their anchoring to the ground – only have to comply with standards which date back to 1998 and are tested with 1.5-tonne combustion engine vehicles.
The VRMA is calling for 'urgent research, funding and policy updates to ensure our national infrastructure is capable of withstanding the unique impact dynamics of electric vehicles'
It wants 'high-risk areas' – including bridges and high-speed roads such as motorways – checked as a priority.
The association, which has also written to National Highways, insists the kinetic energy created by heavier electric vehicles travelling at the same speeds as traditional cars will 'increase the force exerted on safety barriers' in a collision.
As a result there will be a 'higher risk of a barrier breach' meaning vehicles may penetrate through or topple over crash barriers, ploughing into oncoming traffic on busy motorways and A-roads.
'The failure to address this issue could lead to preventable fatalities, more severe accidents and legal liabilities for governing authorities,' the letter, seen by The Telegraph, says.
Colin Abbott, the joint chairman of the VRMA and director of SSR Limited, which manufactures anchoring systems for barriers and parapets, said: 'My concern is that the lives and safety of motorists driving electric vehicles are being put at risk.'
A 'critical and overlooked issue'
Explaining that the vast majority of barriers motorists pass are designed to cope only with the impact of a traditional car, he added: 'The largest percentage of barriers are meeting the lowest performance level required. The barrier must withstand being hit by a 1.5-tonne car going at a certain speed.
'The UK's transition to electric vehicles is accelerating, with a legally binding target to phase out new petrol and diesel vehicles sales by 2030.
'While this shift is a vital step towards reducing emissions and combating climate change, it introduces a critical and largely overlooked issue: whether our existing vehicle restraint systems are capable of safely containing and redirecting heavier, battery-laden vehicles.
'So, if there was a proven accident where the system failed, then the Government and National Highways could be at risk of being sued.'
In 2023, National Highways commissioned a £30,000 study to assess the impact heavier electric vehicles have on crash barriers amid safety concerns.
The report has still not been released, prompting the VRMA to warn that the lack of an 'immediate response to these concerns leaves the UK's road network vulnerable to safety failures'.
At the time, National Highways said it was not aware of any crash barrier tests involving electric vehicles.
Last year, the University of Nebraska found that electric vehicles can weigh up to 50 per cent more than a conventional car, have a lower centre of gravity due to the battery weights and are capable of breaching US 'guardrail' barriers.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'Standards on high-speed roadside barriers are continually under review and National Highways is currently exploring any updates needed.
'Meanwhile, there is a comprehensive programme of upgrades in place and National Highways has installed or renewed over 900 miles of safety barriers between 2020 and 2024, prioritising the busiest motorways to ensure maximum benefit.'