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Do electromagnetic fields cause long term damage to health by driving an EV?

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Magnetic field strength 12" away from the battery conductors in a Model S when accelerating in Ludicrous mode (I = 1500A):

B = u0 * I / (2 * pi * d)

B = (4 * pi & 10^-7) * 1500 A / (2 * pi * 0.3048 m) = 0.0009843 T

Magnetic field strength inside typical MRI machine = 2.000 T

Typical time in MRI machine = 30 minutes.

Time that you need to sit next to the battery conductors in a Model S while the car is accelerating in Ludicrous mode to get the same magnetic field exposure as the 30 minutes in the MRI machine:

2.000 / 0.0009843 * 30 min = 60960 min = 42.3 days.
 
What to you think about 60KV x 8 spark plugs?

Think of auto EMF like this: To damage a DNA molecule takes an order of magnitude more energy than EMF produced by a cellphone, EV, or High Energy ignition system. Sort of like trying to break your window by throwing rice at it.

It's not just the quantity of energy but whether the energy can ionize molecules or not. EMI / RFI produced by any of those items are at frequencies that are insufficient to ionize molecules. In other words, that type of radiation cannot knock atoms loose from a molecule like DNA. Even standing next to the radiating elements on a cell phone tower cannot ionize molecules (it can cause other physical damage, such as heating, which is what happens in a microwave oven).

You need EMI that is much higher in frequency to ionize molecules and cause radiation-induced damage. These frequencies start in the Ultraviolet range (sunburn) and continue up into X-Rays and Gamma rays.
 
I'm going to take the question seriously. I don't see any reason to just assume they're a troll just because they're new, and this is a question people have genuinely brought up in my life.

Yes, there is a lot more electromagnetic fields going on than in a gas car. It's part of why there is no AM radio (it would interfere).

The battery itself doesn't give off EMFs. Actively using it a lot does (via the drive motors, for example, so while you're driving).

Whether or not this is concerning, since you asked, there isn't really any evidence to support that that I am aware of. If it were concerning, there would be more detrimental health concerns if you lived near a big electrical transformer or something on your street I'd imagine. There'd also be much larger impacts on anyone working near large industrial motors (e.g. plants, mills, electricity generation) as they produce much stronger fields, but I don't know of any health impact in these cases either. At the end of the day, it does not seem to be anything to be concerned about.
 
Dear all,

Do EV's give off an EMF?
We are essentially driving under a huge battery?

Are there any long term health damage to human health driving an EV?

Many thanks


Hey

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The majority here are so defensive!
50 years ago the same was said about cigarettes and asbestos...now it’s universally accepted how detrimental to health these things are.

Powerlines, cellphones, radio waves, microwaves, and now EVs?

You need to read the history of nuisance lawsuits and EMF. This is not new, it's just targeted at a new deep pocket defendant.
 
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I'm going to take the question seriously. I don't see any reason to just assume they're a troll just because they're new, and this is a question people have genuinely brought up in my life.

Yes, there is a lot more electromagnetic fields going on than in a gas car. It's part of why there is no AM radio (it would interfere).

The battery itself doesn't give off EMFs. Actively using it a lot does (via the drive motors, for example, so while you're driving).

Whether or not this is concerning, since you asked, there isn't really any evidence to support that that I am aware of. If it were concerning, there would be more detrimental health concerns if you lived near a big electrical transformer or something on your street I'd imagine. There'd also be much larger impacts on anyone working near large industrial motors (e.g. plants, mills, electricity generation) as they produce much stronger fields, but I don't know of any health impact in these cases either. At the end of the day, it does not seem to be anything to be concerned about.

Its admirable that you are taking the question seriously, which may be the right thing to do, but saying that, this OPs post follows the very definition blueprint of a troll type post.

1. Joined website recently, no posts
2. Posts topic that would entice a lot of discussion. ("What about this controversial thing here, whats everyones thoughts on that?"
3. doesnt provide ANY discussion on their own, or background for their question. Lobs question in and basically says "discuss... thanks"

Usually, when this type of post is NOT a troll post, it has a format more like :
==============================
Hi, I was thinking about XXX, and I read this paper called YYY or came across this research ZZZ and was wondering about............blah blah blah. My opinion is XXXXXXXX.
==============================

Since the format this OP chose to post in is basically the exact format that someone lobbing a troll post into a popular form does, I think people should be forgiven for believing its "not serious". In this OPs case, since the Location is listed as "london" we would also "assume" (which may be incorrect) that the OP speaks fluent English. Not speaking fluent english is normally another reason why someone posts short form questions like that, with no background, but in this case the assumption would be the OP speaks english fluently since location is a English based location.

So, yeah, looks like a troll post to me too, but I commend you for taking it seriously, and providing a serious answer.
 
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In this digital age we're living in, we're already surrounded by wifi (if you're tech inclined enough, then mesh wifi), smartphones, soon-to-be-5g. I would sooner worry about that kind of enveloped exposure long term than driving an EV. This is purely conjecture and anecdotal, though, based on informal conversations i've had peers that are engineers or have backgrounds in science.
 
Its admirable that you are taking the question seriously, which may be the right thing to do, but saying that, this OPs post follows the very definition blueprint of a troll type post.

1. Joined website recently, no posts
2. Posts topic that would entice a lot of discussion. ("What about this controversial thing here, whats everyones thoughts on that?"
3. doesnt provide ANY discussion on their own, or background for their question. Lobs question in and basically says "discuss... thanks"

Usually, when this type of post is NOT a troll post, it has a format more like :
==============================
Hi, I was thinking about XXX, and I read this paper called YYY or came across this research ZZZ and was wondering about............blah blah blah. My opinion is XXXXXXXX.
==============================

Since the format this OP chose to post in is basically the exact format that someone lobbing a troll post into a popular form does, I think people should be forgiven for believing its "not serious". In this OPs case, since the Location is listed as "london" we would also "assume" (which may be incorrect) that the OP speaks fluent English. Not speaking fluent english is normally another reason why someone posts short form questions like that, with no background, but in this case the assumption would be the OP speaks english fluently since location is a English based location.

So, yeah, looks like a troll post to me to, but I commend you for taking it seriously, and providing a serious answer.

Yeah, I can't argue with that at all. Much of me is nagging at myself for taking it seriously, but I've become very aware of my own "bubble" lately. This forum, and many Tesla owners by somewhat natural extension, are definitely their own "bubble" as well. It's easy to dismiss this as trolling or FUD or whatever, but the number of people I actually know that would be concerned to ask this is a very non-zero number. (And I'm not accusing you of treating it as FUD or anything, just stating what is common after being on these forums for a year). If someone is going to wonder about this and is social, why not go to the most common EV (Tesla) forum and ask the "source"? It's gonna happen.

Especially with common adoption of EVs in the future, this will come up more and more whether or not it's a well-founded concern. That's the thing about concerns, is they don't need to be based in fact (and honestly, that's kinda fine). Even if I make a troll happy and take the bait, maybe someone else that's genuinely concerned reads it. It is a forum after all, and these responses will be read by many more than are currently here.

I'm glad the thread hasn't gone full "lol stupid bye" though!