Constituents who are firefighters in the district of State Representative Brad Fritts (R-Dixon) came to the representative looking for a way to identify electric cars in the event of a crash that causes a fire.
That brought about House Bill 1913 which was given initial approve this week in the Transportation: Vehicles and Safety Committee.
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According to the representative, the batteries in electric vehicles contain flammable chemicals and can release their own oxygen as they burn, allowing electric vehicle fires to reignite hours or even days after they appear to be quenched. They also can emit toxic fumes. By requiring identifiable stickers, the goal is to assist EMS and firefighters with the best approach to extinguish the fire.
The U.S Fire Administration has said that electric vehicle (EV) technology has become commonplace, but there is limited credible response guidance for emergency responders.