How safe are electric cars in an accident?

You may have seen reports about electric cars bursting into a ball of flames, or have worries about their safety in an accident, however, it seems that electric cars really are just as safe as any other.

Firstly, all cars, whether electric or not, must meet the same rigorous design, manufacturing and safety regulations and testing.  Most electric cars offer all the latest safety technology and more.

The most common concern about electric cars, is their lithium-ion batteries setting on fire.  Lithium-ion batteries are popular technology because they store a huge amount of energy in a small space.  However, if the battery is exposed to excessive heat, or there is penetration in the battery case, then an internal short circuit triggers a chemical reaction which can lead to ignition. 

This is in fact very rare, but if it does happen, it is a fire that is almost impossible to extinguish, and you essentially just have to wait for it to burn out.  Even when a fire is extinguished, an electric vehicle fire can reignite hours, days or even weeks after the initial event – making disposal and storage of a fire damaged vehicle a real problem.

However, electric cars are engineered to avoid this situation; they have the benefit of having no flammable gas, and their batteries are encased in crash resistant boxes which are mounted low in the car and far away from potential impact areas.  The cells themselves are surrounded by materials to help absorb heat and reduce the risk of overheating.

Generally, EV have fewer flammable materials and require less maintenance than their internal combustible engine (ICE) counterparts, and they typically have built in safety features that automatically shut off the power if a fire is detected.

In fact, internal combustible engines are just as likely, if not more likely to catch fire if involved in an accident.

So, if you’re involved in an accident with an electric car – don’t panic – the risk of fire is very small and actually, they are likely to protect both occupants and pedestrians very well.