Electric vehicle safety

Electric vehicle safety is a big point in its favor, since the crash-tests passed by EV have obtained the highest scores ever recorded, making electric cars the safest in the market.

Despite the uncertainty currently generated by the safety of EVs in our society, there are many reasons which corroborate that electric vehicle safety is greater than those of combustion.

We know that gasoline is highly flammable and the possibility of a fire after an accident is real. Even so, it has never been a reason that has pushed us back on buying a car, right? And why is it so when it comes to buying an electric one?

Yes, we know that the mistrust is generated by the newness of this technology and, precisely for this reason, we want to deny all those statements that may have in your mind about electric vehicles. We’ll discover all electric car safety advantages, as well as the main safety considerations for electric vehicles and why are considered the safest in the market!

Lower fire risk

Can a damaged battery catch fire? The answer is yes, as happened with the Samsung Galaxy Note fuss and in the viral cases of some Tesla setting on fire. However, in the same way that combustion vehicles have safety systems that prevent fires in an accident case, the same happens with electric ones.

But the important fact is that the fire risk is four times higher in a gasoline or diesel one than in an electric. Both electrical technology in general and lithium-ion batteries have been developed for many years. And, in fact, hundreds of machines that are part of our daily lives are examples of this: computers, mobiles, trains…

EVs have automatic cooling systems in case cells exceed the limit of recommended degrees and also have a firewall system to prevent a possible fire from spreading to other cells.

Safer driving

Electric cars have a lower gravity center than combustion ones, since their batteries are located in the lower parts of the cars.

Thanks to this, the weight distribution is carried out more equitably between the axles, providing the vehicle with greater stability, so the cornering grips is much better. In addition, it allows to further reduce the possibility of vehicle dump.

And not least, the fact of having the entire torque instantaneously ensures a shorter reaction time into a risky situation. 

What happens in an accident?

At United States, the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) is the responsible for carrying out tests which ensures the safety of all vehicles, including electric ones, and has classified the Tesla Model S with the highest score in history.

At European level, any vehicle must pass a test before it can be approved and homologated; the crash test, which consists of a collision test which measures the injuries that the occupants of the vehicle can suffer in a crash.

And why electric cars are safer in crash cases?

For one simple reason, because thanks to the fact of not having a large internal combustion engine. In this way, manufacturers can develop vehicles by focusing them much more on safety without being conditioned by the structure of a large motor. This means that they can design more spaces designed to better absorb the energy that is released in a crash.

In addition, an electric motor is less likely to pass through the vehicle in an accident by being located in the ground floor. And that also facilitates that the resistance in lateral crashes is greater.

Without electrocuting danger

One of the first fears that arise in the community is the worry about being electrocuted in a hybrid or electric car. However, the probability is as minimal as the possibility that you get electrocuted by plugging in the hair dryer, charging your smartphone or turning on the microwave. Well, in the same way that all these elements are protected with safety systems, so are electric vehicles.

Thus, EVs are perfectly insulated and waterproofed since their respective batteries are protected by shielded boxes, the high voltage cables are covered by bright colors and, in case of an impact, the system automatically disconnects the electric current. In addition, each manufacturer provides emergency services with information about the composition of the EV elements (especially the most dangerous ones) to avoid possible accidents or electrocutions in case of intervention on the vehicle.

A clear example could be the case of the tsunami and earthquake that occurred in Japan in March 2011, in which more than 20 Nissan LEAF were affected (covered with water, beaten, overturned ...), but in all cases its components remained isolated and didn’t cause any kind of accident. 

Better braking system

Regenerative braking is a system that offers a double advantage.

On the one hand, when you lift your foot from the accelerator pedal, it allows the vehicle to start stopping slowly. Thanks to this system it’s possible to recover part of the energy to recharge the battery. And, in addition, in case of emergency and having to press the brake abruptly, the vehicle will stop a few thousandths of a second before its respective equivalent of gasoline or diesel since, before stepping on the brake, the car had already started to decelerate.

On the other hand, the fact of not stepping on the brake pedal so much increases the life of the discs and the brake pads since they wear away much less. And what does it mean? It means a more economical vehicle maintenance and being able to have brakes in better conditions in situations of danger.

In short, EVs have many common elements that combustion cars, such as ABS, airbag, pedestrian’s detector, parking and blind spot sensors, etc. But the best in EVs is that they incorporate elements that increase their safety even more.