U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, questioned national transportation leaders about electric vehicles during a Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight and Ports Subcommittee last week hearing titled, “Examining the Roadway Safety Crisis and Highlighting Community Solutions.”
During her questions, Capito asked the officials about the fatality risks posed by electric vehicles (EVs) in potential crashes, as EVs have heavy batteries that often cause EVs to weigh more than gas-powered vehicles in the same class. The increased weight of EVs creates the potential for more deadly accidents resulting from heavier weight colliding with crash victims, according to Capito.
“Here’s the one thing that I haven’t heard: I haven’t heard one person mention the increased weight of an electric vehicle,” Capito said during the hearing. “Can the guardrails withstand the impacts?”