[Rolebama]

One thing I have noticed is that there is no mention of EMFs put out by EVs either by manufacturers or governments. Does anyone know if any body has tested for them? We have also had stories about feasibility studies for under-road wireless charging cables. Was there an EMF study carried out? Somehow I think the answer will be a resounding 'No' to both questions.
Reminds me of how we were all sold onto diesels and vapes, with Public Health England telling us vapes are 94% safer then cigarettes. Did they have any grounds for this? No.

[Mark07]

Interesting question.

I have heard of rare examples where people say they can feel electro magnetic fields - in extremely rare cases, it can bother them.

I did find this video on Youtube. I have no reason to doubt them, however the source is not independent and it doesn't state if any testing has been done to verify their claims.

[olduser]

The frequencies being used in cars are thought to be harmless but even so there are standards.

There is more concern over radio frequencies (r/f) because they can generate heat within tissue.
I did some trial work using an r/f oven drying thermal insulation, as I understood it the r/f induced currents in the product, due to the resistance these currents were dissipated as heat.
The control system had to turn the r/f off if there was risk of people getting their hands in the r/f zone.

Some people were damaged by VHF (30MHZ - 300 MHZ) radio beams in the early days until maximum permitted levels were worked out.

By the time we get to microwave ovens (2.45GHZ) it is obviously dangerous (it cooks food) but the mode of heating is principally due to shaking molecules.

There are some people claiming that 50 HZ AC is dangerous in high doses, there is a regulation max for that but from memory it is low.
At home, and if we work indoors we are bathed in a 50 cycle field if there is any mains electricity.

If you connect your hands to an Oscilloscope you will find an AC 50 cycle current showing on the scope!

As to cars, no one publishes much about the traction motors (or I haven't found it) but they are usually 3 phase induction motors running at about 400 V with a frequency 0 HZ to 120 HZ for speed control so frequencies are not high.

Interestingly, my hearing aid has a loop setting, this enables me to listen to the field generated by the telephone rather than listening to the sound, I can set this on auto which means I hear normal sound until I get into an electrical field the the aid listens to the field.
In an older petrol car (with a distributor) I can hear the ignition system, distinct clicks at tick over, to a hum at high revs.

I have noticed in some hybrid cars I can here some electrical hum at times but have been unable to sort out if it is when it is charging or using electric power or when it is charging and using.
In the Nissan Leaf I had, I could not hear any electrical noise.

[Beelzebub]

Originally Posted by Rolebama

One thing I have noticed is that there is no mention of EMFs put out by EVs either by manufacturers or governments. Does anyone know if any body has tested for them? We have also had stories about feasibility studies for under-road wireless charging cables. Was there an EMF study carried out? Somehow I think the answer will be a resounding 'No' to both questions.

I haven't been involved for about 20 years, but it used to be the case that pretty well anything sold in the UK had to be certified as meeting the EM radiation standards. I can't imagine that has been quietly dropped.

[Drivingforfun]

I’m definitely not an EV evangelist, but I’d want to question how any possible danger from EMFs compares to the dangers of ICE vehicles (exhaust fumes, fire etc.)

The other thing I’d say is if we went through everything with a fine-toothed comb before passing it for sale, I don’t think anything would get clearance to be sold before it became defunct (COVID vaccines being an extreme but textbook example) … weighing up innovation vs. safeguarding I guess??

[Rolebama]

@Beelzebub I have to wonder, does the whole car qualify, or has it been done by 'unit'? ie circuitry and each individual motor. Also although each individual car maybe has been deemed within limits, what would be the overall in average congestion, or local High Streets. I have to question if testing was done, and if so, where can I find the results, as no search I have done has been successful.
FWIW: when EMFs were first discovered to be dangerous, the worst places found were offices. Individually switchboards, anglepoise lamps, electric kettles, fans etc were all found to be safe. It was the collected effects that were causing the health problems that caused the initial research.

[olduser]

Hi Rolebama, I don't think much if any conclusive testing has been done that has produced evidence one way or the other for low frequency.
I think focused VHF (in a beam) was discovered by accident, RF drying ovens inside have much more energy than anyone would normally encounter, similar with Micro Waves, with VHF and UHF for broadcast when they are in beam format they are kept well away from the public.
Emissions from vehicles became an issue when TV came along, chiefly RF from the ignition system, it made a mess of the picture, it also could be heard on radio but people did not complain about it as much.

Back to testing, it is impossible to prove a negative, and to get meaningful results human test subjects would be needed.

Taking a pragmatic view, we have had many generations exposed to 50 Hz (mains) for their lifetime, and no one has been able to pin down a specific effect.