Safety notes on High-voltage of Electric vehicles (pure or hybrid)

[Mr.NFC]

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Safety notes on High-voltage of Electric vehicles (pure or hybrid)​

Electric vehicles (pure or hybrid) use high-voltage batteries so that energy can be delivered to a drive motor or returned to a battery pack in a very short time. The Honda Insight system, for example, uses a 144-V battery module to store re-generated energy. The Toyota Prius originally used a 273.6-V battery pack but this was changed in 2004 to a 201.6-V pack. Voltages of 300 V are now common and some up to 700 V, so clearly there are electrical safety issues when working with these vehicles.

High-voltage battery pack​

EV batteries and motors have high electrical and magnetic potential that can severely injure or kill if not handled correctly. It is essential that you take note of all the warnings and recommended safety measures outlined by manufacturers and in this resource. Any person with a heart pacemaker or any other electronic medical devices should not work on an EV motor since the magnetic effects could be dangerous. In addition, other medical devices such as intravenous insulin injectors or meters can be affected.
Safety First
EV batteries and motors have high electrical and magnetic potential that can severely injure or kill if not handled correctly.
Most of the high-voltage components are combined in a power unit. This is often located behind the rear seats or under the luggage compartment floor (or the whole floor in a Tesla). The unit is a metal box that is completely closed with bolts. A battery module switch, if used, may be located under a small secure cover on the power unit.
The electric motor is located between the engine and the transmission or as part of the transmission on a hybrid or on a pure-EV; it is the main driving component. A few vehicles use wheel motors too.
The electrical energy is conducted to or from the motor by thick orange wires. If these wires have to be disconnected, SWITCH OFF or DE-ENERGISE the high-voltage system. This will prevent the risk of electric shock or short circuit of the high-voltage system.

Motor and power pack locations on a typical hybrid: 1, integrated motor; 2, power pack​

Safety First
High-voltage wires are always orange.
NOTE: Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions – it is not possible to outline all variations here.

Honda battery pack (integrated power unit)

Motor power connections​