By Anurag Maheshwary ( March 12, 2018, 1:08 PM EDT) -- A comparison of American, European and Chinese approaches to regulating electric vehicle (EV) safety is a study in contrasts. Despite some similarities, fundamental disagreements abound on many levels.[1] The United States follows the narrowest approach, imposing safety and performance standards at the vehicle-level, but no battery-level requirements, and only basic charging safety specifications. The European Union's approach is significantly broader, addressing the vehicle, comprehensive requirements concerning battery packs, and more extensive charging safety regulations. China's EV safety regulations are the most puzzling. Facially, their scope is the broadest in the world, with expansive requirements addressing not only the vehicle and battery packs, but also battery subcomponents, as well as broad charging safety regulations that reach external charging equipment. Practically, however, China's EV regulations are voluntary, not mandatory as those in the U.S. and EU, raising serious questions about their efficacy in promoting safety.[2] Arresting contrasts indeed....