Complaints from hybrid vehicle owners of North America have resulted in loss of consumer confidence in electric vehicles, said Economic Observer on Tuesday.

They claim the vehicles emit high levels of electromagnetic radiation, which can have a detrimental impact on their health. A Canadian monitoring institution also noted that the vehicles they have monitored have emitted high levels of radiation, but hybrid vehicle producers such as Toyota and Honda denied such claims.

Domestic enterprises such as Chang’an Group have begun to use hybrid vehicles, and its project manager Ren Yong also stated that there is no need to worry about electromagnetic radiation. “We had done EMC (electro-magnetic compatibility) test in the initial stage, making sure that electronic controlling systems and electromagnetic radiation of products comply with national standard.” he said.

He Yujun, secretary of Chinese Automobile Engineering Industry, says that China has its obligatory standard for domestic electromagnetic radiation: GB18655—2002, Limit Value and Measuring Methods for the protecting motor receiver. The standard targets function and compatibility, which guarantees that there is no mutual interference between electric parts in order to avoid error during operation and no interruption to outside wireless apparatus. However, the standard fails to call attention to human safety.

For more details, please read the full story in Chinese (http://www.eeo.com.cn/industry/real_estate/2008/07/15/106958.html).

(China.org.cn July 15, 2008)