ANSI elevates EV fire and V2G issues to top priority

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has elevated fire protection in older buildings, power export and cable management to high priority in its latest US electric vehicle (EV) standards review. The three issues, raised from medium priority by ANSI’s Electric Vehicles Standards Panel (EVSP), are flagged as areas for coordinated industry action.

The fire protection concern centres on EV parking and charging in or near buildings not designed with EV-related fire risks in mind. Power export relates to bidirectional charging and vehicle-to-grid applications, while cable management has come into focus as public charging stations face higher utilisation and longer cables.

The April 2026 Gaps Progress Report builds on a 2023 ANSI roadmap that identified 37 standardisation gaps across vehicle systems, charging, grid integration and cybersecurity. The new update tracks progress on 17 of those gaps and adds three further issues.

In a statement, Christine Bernat, Director of Standards Facilitation at ANSI, said: “Electric vehicles are no longer a future technology – they are part of how Americans drive, work, and live today. This report gives industry a clear, neutral view of where the standards system is keeping pace and where it needs to adapt.”

The EVSP does not develop standards itself but identifies where they are needed and tracks progress. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is the panel’s 2026 sponsor.

Source: ANSI