Publication Trends, Research Landscape, and Scientific Developments on Electric Vehicles Safety Research (2006–2021)

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) are vehicles or automobiles that utilise a single or several electric-based motors, battery packs and collector systems for propulsion. With the paradigm shift to green electricity, EVs are considered major technological innovations that could mitigate GHG emissions from transportation. Despite their potential, EVs have numerous problems ranging from thermal runaways and electric shocks to fire and explosions. Therefore, electric vehicle safety (EVS) has become an important research area with over 5,000 publications to date. Based on data from the Elsevier Scopus database, the PRISMA technique was used to critically examine the research landscape and scientific developments in EVS research from 2006 to 2021. The results revealed 220 published documents comprising conference papers, articles, reviews, and book chapters. Research landscape analysis revealed that Zhenpo Wang, Ming H. Lu and Ming U. Jen are the most prolific authors, whereas the largest funding organisation is the National Natural Science Foundation (NSFC) of China. The findings indicate that EVS research/researchers have received significant financial support and non-monetary resources, which has resulted in numerous scientific developments and published documents over the years. For example, the improvements in the safety and efficiency of Li-ion batteries, along with tackling operational problems such as thermal runaway, electric shock, explosions, and other risks associated with battery damage, are under examination. In conclusion, the study shows that the research impact and scientific developments on EVS research will continue to grow, especially with growing calls to reduce fossil fuel-based energy dependence and GHG emissions from transportation.