ANSI/OPEI Z135-2020: Personal Transport Vehicles
The first speeding ticket for an automobile was given in 1904 to Harry Myers, who at the time was flying at the lightning speed of 12 mph through Dayton, Ohio. Today gas-powered cars on average can travel up to 300 miles on a full tank of gas. As such, assuring the safety of automobiles is of the utmost importance. ANSI/OPEI Z135-2020: Personal Transport Vehicles – Safety And Performance Specifications (Revision And Redesignation Of ANSI/ILTVA Z135-2012) promotes safety in the design, manufacture, maintenance, and operation of personal transport vehicles (PTVs).
What Is ANSI/OPEI Z135?
ANSI/OPEI Z135-2020 provides safety and performance specifications relating to personal transport vehicles (PTVs). Specifically, the American National Standard applies to PTVs driven by electric motors or internal combustion engines to be operated on designated roadways or within a closed community where permitted by law or by regulatory authority rules. ANSI/OPEI Z135-2020 may be used as a guide by regulatory authorities desiring to formulate safety rules and regulations; it is also intended for voluntary use by others associated with manufacturing, maintaining or utilizing PTVs.
This standard does not apply to:
- Golf cars, which are covered by ANSI/OPEI Z130.1 (formerly ANSI/ILTVA Z130.1
- Personnel and burden carriers, which are covered by ANSI/ITSDF B56.8
- Low speed vehicles, which are covered by SAE J2358
- Autonomous vehicles
- Hybrid electric vehicles (powered by a combination of an internal combustion engine and a battery with an electric motor)
- Vehicles designed for the transportation of persons with disabilities
What Is the Difference between Electric and Internal Combustion Engines?
The main difference between internal combustion and electric vehicles lies in the source of energy they use. Conventional combustion vehicles use engines that burn fossil fuels, such as gasoline or diesel.
Unlike gas-powered vehicles, electric vehicles do not require internal combustion engines to operate. Rather, electric vehicles are outfitted with an electric motor that is powered by a rechargeable battery. As such, electric motors are very eco-friendly since they do not emit exhaust gas, and they have lower operating costs, making more cost-effective. It is important to mention, however, that there are challenges to sourcing raw materials for electric vehicle batteries, such as lithium and cobalt, and ensuring their efficient recycling and disposal. Further, other benefits of internal combustion engine vehicles include longer driving ranges, and that they have an established refueling infrastructure advantageous for specific long-distance travel scenarios.
Are Electric Engines More Efficient Than Internal Combustion Engines?
Electric motors makes vehicles substantially more efficient than internal combustion engines—meaning that an internal combustion engine uses more energy to drive the vehicle. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), in an electric vehicle, about 59-62% of the electrical energy from the grid goes to turning the wheels. On the other hand, combustion vehicles only convert about 17-21% of energy from burning fuel into moving the car. This means that an electric vehicle is roughly three times as efficient as an internal combustion vehicle. The reason why gas-powered cars are less efficient is because most of the fuel’s energy is lost in the engine as heat, with smaller amounts lost through friction, pumping air, and combustion inefficiency.
ANSI/OPEI Z135-2020: Personal Transport Vehicles – Safety And Performance Specifications (Revision And Redesignation Of ANSI/ILTVA Z135-2012) is available on the ANSI Webstore.
