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Plugged into Safety: A primer on the hazards of working with battery electric vehicles | March 2024
ONTARIO TECH: SHARING KNOWLEDGE IS CRITICAL IN KEEPING
PEOPLE SAFE
The Automotive Centre of Excellence at Ontario Tech University is the first
commercial automotive research, development and innovation centre of its kind
in the world. The engineers and technicians at ACE deliver development and
testing services to manufacturers and train students with the skills they need
to be successful in their careers.
"OEMs come to us with their pre-production and production battery properties,
and we subject them to a number of tests that are unparalleled anywhere in the
industry." Says ACE Senior Manager, Rick Szymczyk.
"While we host clients, research and building competencies are also part of
our core business. We work with our academic and research partners to design
and develop battery-based solutions that we learn from industry partners.
We apply them to our R&D efforts and then use them to build talent to
support the ACE operation."
"I see people repurposing batteries the same way they would a 12V battery.
However, in any propulsion or hybrid or electric vehicle battery, you need to
have a battery management system to ensure it remains in a normal range
of operation and it operates safely. These systems are designed and tested
to a very high standard."
To keep students and the team at ACE safe, he says they interview OEMs
before they bring products in, and they work closely with professionals
including security, fire and emergency services, technicians and electricians to
help prevent and be ready for any unwanted events. They also learn from their
industry partners. "We have working groups with industry stakeholders where
they share best practices, lessons learned, and policies and procedures relative
to battery and electrification safety."
Ontario Tech is committed to sharing knowledge about best practices and
expertise with others in the industry, including OEMs, small and medium start-
ups, and organizations like WSPS. "We want to be part of the solution and
address the gap that exists, as we have always done with new technology."
