Pacemaker users face grey area on EVs

Electric cars and pacemak

Lack of research around the potential risks of high-powered chargers leaves many heart patients in the dark

Bob Murray

WITH sales soaring, the latest batteryelectric cars are increasingly proving the right answer for thousands of UK motorists. But there is one group of people for whom questions over the electric car have never gone away. They are the hundreds of thousands of people around the country fitted with a heart pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).

All electrical devices – from kitchen induction hobs to electric cars – emit an electromagnetic field (EMF) which, if strong enough, can affect a pacemaker or ICD, with the potential of causing a life-threatening device malfunction. The NHS doesn’t publish specific advice about electric cars, but does say that anyone with a pacemaker or ICD should “keep at least 60cm (2ft) from an induction hob” . Does it follow that these people should steer completely clear of electric cars? With all new cars having to be battery-electric (or electrified) by 2030, that is going to be increasingly difficult, as Auto Express reader Phillip Evans found.

When the ex-electrical engineer set about buying his first electric car, the lack of solid information led him to one conclusion: an electric car was not for him. Mr Evans was looking to buy a Hyundai, which is one company whose handbooks acknowledge that electromagnetic waves generated by a charger “can seriously impact” on implanted heart devices.

“There is no warning not to drive the car, ” a spokesperson told us, adding that the

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model is “fully compliant” with all the latest regulations in this regard. A statement from VW went further: “Electric vehicles pose no danger to people with pacemakers or implanted defibrillators, as the electric field generated during operation is very well shielded. ” But there is one caveat: when the vehicle is “on” , people with pacemakers should not open the bonnet.

The official line from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders is that owners

“Car companies seem ignorant on the subject, going along with the consensus that it’s ‘probably’ okay to drive an EV”

should follow the advice in the manual and “if concerned, seek guidance from their cardiologist or medical device manufacturer” .

However, it appears car companies in general remain ignorant on the subject, going along with the consensus that it is “probably” okay to drive or passenger inside an electric car, but that care should be taken when plugging in, particularly if using one of the latest high-power DC “fast” chargers. Hyundai makes the point that it is not responsible for its cars being charged up at third-party charging points.

Such “probabilities” are based on studies, but none of them very recent (see panel, right). Until new studies using the latest generation of electric cars, with their multiple motors, massive batteries and high-voltage inverters, reveal more, the advice for those with implanted heart devices is that an electric car is “probably” okay – but don’t open the bonnet, and get someone else to plug it in.

At a time when EV registrations are exploding in the UK – up by 154 per cent this February – when the cars are getting ever more powerful and an ageing population means more people than ever are having cardiac devices implanted, the question must be: is that advice good enough?

New TVR to hit the road in 2023

FOLLOWING a problematic period for TVR, not least due to Covid, the British maker has committed to deliver the first examples of its new Griffith sports car in late 2023.

While talking to our sister title evo about the early Griffith prototype from 2017, boss Les Edgar said, “If we hadn’t taken a brave step to leapfrog a few stages you would normally go through before you produce a road-going car that you can drive around a track and take up and down the road, had we not done that, we would be in a lot more of a state in terms of timing. ”

TVR said that it would gain access to its factory in Wales – following a delay due to ownership issues – in the first quarter of this year. There’s no news yet on whether this has happened, but the company is still confident of deliveries beginning next year. DELAYED

First prototype of new Griffith was shown back in 2017

Fresh-faced 5 Series seen out in the open

SPIED

EAGLE-eyed reader Robert Sawyers spotted BMW’s updated 5 Series executive saloon testing on a recent trip to Munich, Germany.

This is our best look yet at the new car, and we can see an even larger grille flanked by slim headlights and what seems to be an M Sport bumper. Robert’s shots show the tail-lights linked by a piece of chrome trim, too.

ers – are they safe?

What do the pacemaker/ICD manufacturers have to say?

MEDTRONIC is one of the biggest suppliers of implanted devices in the UK. We phoned the company’s advice line posing as an EV driver worried about an elderly relative fitted with a Medtronic implant.

“A person [with a Medtronic device] shouldn’t be in the car when it’s charging, ” Medtronic’s advisor told us. “This advice is for all electric cars. There are many different kinds of charging stations, and the spectrum is so wide, the best recommendation is not to be close when they are in use.

“This type of tech is advancing very fast, and with a high-powered charger we don’t know what kind of range the EMFs may have. ”

Medtronic’s advisor made it clear the company was not aware of any specific issue, so his advice was generic. He also stated that Medtronic routinely tests new consumer technology when it becomes available, but had no information on whether testing was under way or scheduled for EV chargers. RUTH Goss, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said, “Any device that produces a strong electromagnetic field could potentially interfere with pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). “The very limited research suggests that it’s safe to use electric cars if you have one of these devices, but caution should be taken when using the charger as this is where the EMF appears strongest. However, more research is needed to establish the risks that high-power electric car chargers pose to people with a pacemaker or ICD. “If you have an electric car or are thinking about purchasing one, and you have concerns about magnetic fields, we recommend that you talk to the manufacturer of your device. You could also contact your doctor or pacing clinic for further advice. ”

A medical view What tests have been done so far?

Tests in 2014/15 included Volkswagen e-Up!

IN 2014/15, 108 people with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) were exposed to electromagnetic fields in the four most popular EVs of the day: the Volkswagen e-Up!, Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S and BMW i3. The volunteers rode in the cars and then plugged them in.

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich found no adverse effects and the study concluded that “driving and charging of electric cars is likely safe for patients with CIEDs” . In short, they found the electromagnetic field was too small to have a measurable effect.

But it’s worth bearing in mind that a VW e-Up! of seven years ago could take a DC charge of up to 50kW. VW’s latest, the ID.Buzz, can take a fast DC charge of more than three times that (170kW).

Commenting on the 2015 survey at the time, Dr Richard Sutton of Imperial College, London, told Reuters: “It seems to be reassuring, but when we consider that millions of electric cars will be sold, it is reasonable to think that larger numbers of patients should be studied. ”

It seems that this research is yet to be done, especially with higher-powered chargers. Until it is, growing numbers of people with a heart pacemaker won’t have the reassurance they seek.

Poor safety score for Dacia Jogger

THE Dacia Jogger has received a one-star rating in the latest Euro NCAP crash tests.

While the Jogger’s adult occupant protection rating was fair at 70 per cent, its safety assist rating of 39 per cent was poor compared with similarly priced vehicles. SMASHED Jogger’s score was dragged down by its However, few seven-seat models are as poor safety affordable as the Jogger and the Dacia’s assist rating rating (based on a test of the Sandero Stepway, pictured) under the latest, more stringent regime could be equated to higher ratings awarded to used models that will now be available for a similar price – around £15,000 for the most basic version.

The lifestyle MPV shares its CMF-B platform with the Dacia Sandero and Sandero Stepway, which earned a two-star rating last year. At the time, the firm said: “At Dacia, the safety of our customers is of the utmost importance. We continue to improve the safety of our cars year-on-year and, as a result, each generation of vehicle is safer than the previous one. ”

OFFICIAL news inbrief

Special-edition Fiat 500 hits right notes

FIAT has unveiled the 500 La Prima by Bocelli, a new special-edition version of its electric city car designed to provide an improved audio experience. Created with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, it features a 320W JBL audio system.

The car (above) is based on the 500’s range-topping La Prima trim and offers a 199-mile range. Expect a small premium over the current range-topping 500, which is priced at £30,835.

Increased government funding for EV scheme

THE Government has extended funding for the Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) scheme until April 2023. The scheme offers certification to car dealers who prove they have acquired a level of expertise in electric vehicle knowledge.

The scheme was launched by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and the National Franchised Dealers Association in 2019 and more than 300 dealers have been accredited. It will now only accredit small franchised and independent dealers for the next financial year.

Maserati’s electric GT will hit 186mph

THIS is our best look yet at Maserati’s first electric GT, the GranTurismo Folgore, which will be unveiled in full next year. The car will deliver “installed power” of more than 1,200bhp from its three-motor all-wheel drive system, which will result in a 0-62mph time of less than three seconds.

A top speed of more than 186mph has been confirmed, but a range has not – although Maserati says that its new car will “satisfy its customers” .