As the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration evaluates potential concerns about electric trucks hauling hazardous materials, the Minnesota Propane Association is calling out “regulatory gaps.”
Earlier this year, PHMSA gave the public 90 days to provide feedback on whether it is safe to transport hazmat using a heavy-duty electric vehicle and on the potential risks posed by lithium-ion batteries.
PHMSA will continue to accept comments through Monday, May 4.
Out of the comments already filed, the Minnesota Propane Association highlighted some of its concerns.
“Current hazardous materials regulations governing MC-331 cargo tank motor vehicles were developed around internal combustion engine platforms,” wrote Dave Wager, the Minnesota Propane Association’s executive director. “There is no established regulatory framework addressing the installation and operation of MC-331 cargo tanks on EV chassis. This absence for EV-specific standards creates uncertainty for builders, operators and first responders, and leaves no clear pathway for hazardous materials transportation on EV platforms.”
The Minnesota group encourages PHMSA to:
- Acknowledge the regulatory gap regarding EV chassis in hazardous materials service
- Issue interim compliance guidance
- Initiate rulemaking to establish EV-specific construction, safety and emergency response standards before deployment in hazmat applications
Concerns about electric vehicle batteries aren’t new.
In 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation held a virtual stakeholder meeting addressing electric vehicle battery safety.
One common theme was that EV batteries can reignite well after the initial fire. After an electric vehicle fire is extinguished, the battery may still retain a charge. Consequently, it is susceptible to reigniting during the transport or storage of the damaged vehicle. In some cases, the EV battery reignited while the vehicle was being towed. In other cases, the battery reignited in the tow yard days later.
To submit a comment, click here or go to Regulations.gov and enter PHMSA-2025-0678 by May 4. LL
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