Although electric vehicles have become immensely popular during the past 15 years or so, there is not nearly as much long-term research or historical data about them as there is about their internal combustion engine counterparts. Consumers are naturally more familiar with conventional cars and how they work because they have dominated the automotive sector for more than a century.
This discrepancy has left plenty of room for speculation and misinformation regarding EVs to spread, so it is no wonder many people are confused and have unanswered questions, especially when it comes to safety.
Since safety is one of the most important aspects to consider when choosing a car, learning how safe EVs truly are is crucial if you intend to make the switch. Let’s fill the knowledge gap with facts and address some of the most common myths and concerns.
There are two main issues that most people worry about when it comes to EV safety: crash protection and battery-related fire hazards.
How would an EV fare in a car crash? Crash-test results do not support a blanket claim that every EV is safer than every gas-powered vehicle. However, numerous electric models have earned strong crash-test ratings. Findings from Euro NCAP, an independent vehicle safety assessment program in Europe, have placed several EV models among the highest-rated vehicles tested.
The damages from a road traffic accident depend on factors such as speed, impact direction, vehicle design, size, restraint systems, and the other vehicles involved. Simply having an electric powertrain does not make crash injuries more severe.
An EV’s low center of gravity can reduce its tendency to roll over. Its additional weight may provide an occupant-protection advantage in some collisions with lighter vehicles, but that same weight can increase the forces transferred to occupants of smaller vehicles. Weight alone should therefore not be treated as proof that a vehicle is safer overall.
Most newer EVs also include advanced safety technologies such as adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assistance. However, these systems are also available in many modern gasoline vehicles. They can assist drivers and help prevent certain crashes, but they do not replace attentive driving or make every EV inherently safer.
A Highway Loss Data Institute analysis comparing selected electric vehicles with their conventional counterparts found lower injury-coverage claim frequencies after controlling for mileage. The estimated personal injury protection claim frequency was 40% lower, while bodily injury liability and medical payment claim frequencies were estimated to be 22% and 41% lower, respectively. These findings do not mean that every EV produces 40% fewer injuries or that every electric model is safer than its gasoline-powered equivalent.
But what about fire hazards? There has been considerable discussion about EVs catching fire, causing car buyers to wonder whether electric vehicles are more likely to ignite. Most EVs are equipped with lithium-ion batteries, which can enter a condition known as thermal runaway if cells are damaged, defective, overheated, or improperly charged.
Manufacturers use battery management systems, protective battery enclosures, cooling systems, monitoring equipment, and automatic electrical-disconnection features to reduce these risks. These protections make battery failures uncommon during normal use, but no safety system can eliminate every possibility of fire.
An analysis published by Auto Insurance EZ reported approximately 25 fires per 100,000 electric vehicles sold, compared with 3,474 per 100,000 hybrid vehicles sold and 1,530 per 100,000 gasoline vehicles sold.
However, these figures should be interpreted cautiously. The analysis combined vehicle-fire information with sales data from different datasets, so the numbers should not be treated as precise real-world fire incidence rates. More broadly, available evidence does not indicate that EVs are more likely to catch fire than gasoline vehicles, although current data collection does not yet support a definitive universal comparison.
EV battery fires also present different challenges when they occur. According to NHTSA’s electric and hybrid vehicle safety guidance, physical damage to a high-voltage battery may cause an immediate or delayed release of toxic or flammable gases and fire. Damaged battery cells can also reignite after the original fire appears to have been extinguished.
One reason some people may perceive electric cars as catching fire more often is that EV battery fires frequently receive substantial media attention. These incidents also attract attention because lithium-ion battery fires can behave differently from gasoline-vehicle fires, including the possibility of thermal runaway, delayed ignition, and reignition.
Another issue that often comes up when discussing EV safety is the risk to pedestrians. EVs are much quieter than internal combustion engine vehicles, especially at low speeds. While this can reduce traffic noise, it may create a problem for pedestrians who rely on sound to detect an approaching vehicle, particularly blind or visually impaired individuals.
Because of these potential hazards, regulators have introduced minimum sound requirements for certain electric and hybrid vehicles. In the United States, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 141 requires covered hybrid and electric vehicles to produce sounds that meet specific requirements at low speeds. A separate dedicated warning device is not required if the vehicle already produces sufficient sound to satisfy the standard.
It is not just the sound an EV makes that matters when evaluating pedestrian risks. Driving speed, road design, driver behavior, visibility, and collision-avoidance technology also affect the likelihood of a pedestrian collision.
A study by the University of Leeds found no statistically significant difference between the pedestrian casualty rates associated with EVs and conventional vehicles in the United Kingdom data it analyzed. Between 2019 and 2023, the average rates were approximately 57.8 pedestrian casualties per billion miles for EVs and 58.9 for internal combustion engine vehicles. These results apply to the study’s UK dataset and should not automatically be applied to every country or driving environment.
It appears that EVs are safer than many people assume, but there is always room for improvement. When charging, check cords, connectors, and plugs for visible damage. Anyone installing home charging equipment should use a qualified electrician, follow the vehicle and charger manufacturers’ instructions, and store portable charging equipment properly.
There are also several driving habits that can help prevent common car accidents. Watch carefully for pedestrians who might not hear your vehicle approaching, especially in parking lots and other low-speed areas.
Although EVs are often heavier than comparable gasoline vehicles, every driver should maintain a safe following distance. Vehicle speed, tire condition, braking-system design, weather, road conditions, and driver reaction time all affect stopping distance.
If you are involved in a crash and believe the high-voltage battery or related components may have been damaged, do not touch exposed cables or electrical components. Contact the manufacturer, dealer, or a qualified EV repair facility for guidance and inspection. Exterior damage alone may not reveal the complete condition of the battery system.
Hopefully, the information shared here addresses the most common EV-related safety concerns. If you are ever in the market for an electric vehicle, understanding how safe EVs are can help you base your decision on credible evidence instead of assumptions.
The post How safe are EVs? A look at the facts appeared first on Gauge Magazine.
