EVSEN

EVSEN, or the Electric Vehicle Safety and Efficiency Network, is an international collaborative initiative focused on developing, harmonizing, and disseminating standards and data for electric vehicle safety, performance, and sustainability. Established in 2012 by a coalition of universities, automotive manufacturers, and research laboratories, EVSEN operates as a loose federation with a central secretariat and regional chapters.

Its primary objectives are to create shared testing protocols for batteries, thermal management, charging interoperability, and vehicle dynamics; maintain an open data repository of EV performance and safety test results; and provide software tools for simulation and analysis to support researchers and industry.

Governance is carried out by a steering committee elected from member institutions, with participation from OEMs, suppliers, and public agencies. Funding combines member dues, project grants, and partner contributions.

Activities include sponsoring standardized testing programs, publishing guidelines, hosting annual symposia, and collaborating with international standards bodies such as ISO and SAE. The consortium also maintains open-source software and data-sharing platforms.

Impact and reception: EVSEN has influenced charging interoperability concepts and contributed to publicly accessible performance datasets. Its open data policy aims to accelerate innovation while safeguarding intellectual property and safety.

Limitations and criticism: Some participants voice concerns about data confidentiality, governance transparency, and unequal access to proprietary information.

See also: Electric vehicle charging; automotive standards; ISO 26262; SAE International.