Electric Vehicles May Be Fuel Efficient, But Not Exactly Safer

With electric vehicles consistently increasing their share in the American automobile market, a slew of interesting stats has since come to light, some of which are far from flattering. The biggest shocker concerns safety and accidents, with electric vehicles being 50% more likely to meet with collisions than their internal combustion engine counterparts.

This, of course, could have little to do with the car itself, and more to do with the type of owners and drivers that electric vehicles have attracted in recent years. On the other hand, it could well be weight differentials and placements of batteries and engines between electric vehicles and traditional ICE engines that result in higher rates of accidents.

Electric vehicles offer a robust fuel economy, and a host of other benefits, but before you decide to buy yours, it is essential to understand this less-than-flattering stat. There are a number of reasons to explore, and while there are no conclusive answers, this should help change the way we think about EVs going forward, whether you’re an owner, driver, regulator, or pedestrian.

Driver Demographics & Behaviors 

A recent study by insurer Axa Group has revealed that electric vehicles are 50% more likely to end up in accidents than their petrol and diesel counterparts. That is all it says, the study doesn’t go any further to determine the contributing factors for such stats, after all, being an insurer, it is only the rough figures that matter while pricing their policies.

It can, however, be inferred that the demographics of electric vehicle buyers have something to do with this figure. After all, electric car ownership remains the most popular among millennials and Gen Z, with boomers yet to catch up. As a result, they are mostly owned and driven by individuals with a penchant for speed, rash driving, and other reckless behaviors that likely result in more accidents.

Sharp Accelerations

A key feature of EVs has been the quick motor responses, and sharp accelerations resulting from the same. Internal combustion engines experience a lag of a few milliseconds when pressing the accelerator, which is almost non-existent with EVs, resulting in a sharp and highly responsive experience for drivers. 

This, however, results in drivers overexerting their vehicles, resulting in accidents. There are also instances in which owners who are new to EVs, struggle to get a grasp on the power, controls, and performance, having spent the bulk of their lives with petrol and diesel vehicles. Being fairly new on the scene, it will take a while for EV drivers to get a hang of the remarkable power that lies in their vehicles.

Anyone transitioning from an ICE car to an EV will definitely be faced with certain close calls, especially in the initial days. As a result, it is essential to stay attentive, be slow, and avoid features such as the ‘Sports’ mode during the first few days with your electric vehicle, no matter how much you are drawn towards the same.

Image Credit: Michael Fousert on Unsplash

Brand / Vehicle-Specific Issues

While the above-mentioned factors may have contributed to the high likelihood of EV collisions, there is always a possibility that certain makes and models have had an outsized impact on the average, with there being no flaw of EVs as a segment when it comes to such high levels of accidents.

A good example of this phenomenon is Tesla cars, which are known for having an outsized contribution to overall crash statistics. This holds true given the company’s experiments with assisted driving and fully-automated driving, which being technologies at nascent stages, pose higher risks of accidents.

Other brands and models have only recently entered the market, so the data remains scarce, but if model fashions disrupt tech, the likes of autonomous driving, whether fully or partially, it remains vulnerable to crashes, as AI based driving models continue to identify and overcome challenges.

Final Words

All new technologies go through periods of friction and upheaval, over the course of which the various challenges and issues with the same come to light, and have to be dealt with. As of now, electric vehicles remain at this stage, and over the next few years, such stats will start to normalize, bringing them within the range of internal combustion engine cars.

In the meantime, there is no reason to put off buying an electric vehicle citing often irrelevant and muddied stats such as these. It is worth noting that even with a 50% higher instance of accidents, the total figure stood at a mere 342 in 2018. 

With the right precautions, there is really nothing to be worried about, and if a car accident case does occur, make sure to approach experienced car accident lawyers who are well-versed in the nuances of EVs, ICEs, and more.

(Disclaimer: Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)