HEV/HYBRIDS
The late 1990’s saw the introduction of the world’s first commercially available hybrid vehicle (Toyota Prius, 1997) and a little more than a decade later we saw the emergence of wholly electric vehicles with models such as the Nissan Leaf, first produced in 2010. The electrification of vehicles has resulted in another area of concern for emergency responders around the world and for that reason it is important to add some context to the perceived issue. Together with vehicle construction and SRS/passive safety systems, the subject has dominated discussion during hundreds of training sessions I have delivered all over the world. The internet too, is filled with cautionary words of likely and probable exposure to high voltage when attending incidents involving such vehicles. It is, once again, important to put these risks into context. In the twenty or so years since vehicles were fitted with high voltage systems, there has been no reported incidents of emergency responders being injured due to exposure to these systems; to be absolutely clear, that is zero incidents. "Vehicle Extrication - The NEXT GENERATION" provides information on HV and Hybrid vehicles and critically contextualizes the risks
