To limit the risk of fire on board their ferries, Greece is requesting electric car owners to comply with a new rule. They will be asked to board with less than 40% battery charge.
Not more than 40% on board ferries in Greece
According to the ADAC, a German automotive association, Greece has issued a new regulation regarding electric cars. The Ministry of Merchant Marine and Insular Policy has decided to limit the level of charge of electric cars on ferries. Implemented by major Greek maritime companies since mid-April, this rule was established for “safety reasons”.
It is clear that this law has been put in place to prevent fires. The fire from a lithium-ion battery is difficult to control and can spread rapidly. Ferries are particularly at risk due to the close proximity of vehicles. In Greece, electric cars and plug-in hybrids will now need to board with a charge level below 40%.
A rule not easy to comply with
However, experts from ADAC point out that there is no evidence that electric vehicles are more likely to pose a fire risk than combustion engine vehicles. “In principle, it can never be completely ruled out that a car could catch fire on its own due to a defect. But this applies to all types of engines,” the experts explain.
Major Greek companies such as Anek Lines, Minoan Lines, and Superfast Ferries are already notifying this regulation on their homepages. But this complicates things for electric car owners. They now need to plan trips and recharges in a way that they arrive at the ferry terminal with a battery below 40%. Not to mention that the charging infrastructure in Greece is still quite poor.