Are Electric Cars Safe in Accidents ?

Electric cars are propelled by one or more electric motors, using energy stored in rechargeable batteries. Electric cars are expensive but its maintenance and service cost is cheaper because they have fewer moving parts and need not to oil changes. Tesla, BAIC, BMW, Volkswagen, BYD, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Renault-Nissan are offering various EV models, with a range of body styles and pricing. Electric vehicles are become more popular as because people concerned about climate changes and ECO friendly products.

It offers many benefits to the society such as it helps to develop air quality in towns and cities and reduced carbon dioxide emissions from road transport. Though, electric vehicles are different from conventional vehicles in many ways and there some new safety hazard. Obviously, electric vehicles are not inherently unsafe, nor they expose the public to greater risks than internal combustion engine vehicles.

False Propaganda about Electric cars:

The recent detonation of two Tesla Model S in Hongkong and Shanghai, a NIO ES8 at a residential plot in Wuhan City of China, a Tesla Model 3 on a highway in Moscow and a Hyundai Kona in the owner’s garage in Montreal, Canada, have created doubts among car buyers about the safety of electric cars. And it creates questions in people’s mind that are the electric vehicles are safe.

As electric cars accident have become more common day by day and some fire incidents have happened that cannot be ignored. So it is normal to have such headlines about it. But, according to Ola Will strand, Project Manager at RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden), “there is no clear evidence of there being a higher risk of fire with electric cars compared to fossil-fuel vehicles. In fact, the risk might even be lower”.

Even after an extensive crash testing like the side-impact test pictured here, the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf were awarded five stars and high safety ratings for rollover protection and front, rear and side collisions. Electric cars may not directly pollute the atmosphere or carry a tank of flammable petrol around with them, but that doesn't mean they're without their own safety concerns.

Safety measures should be taken by EV automakers and riders are:

Overcharging and overheating are one of the reasons for damaging battery cells. Electric vehicles are safer than ICE vehicles because of lower flammability of Li-ion batteries. However, liquid electrolyte in battery cells can overheat with prolonged exposure to defective voltage regulators, alternators or the improper use of chargers. Thermal runaway can leading to a fire. Even, charging EVs designed for slow charging with fast chargers can damage battery packs, charging connectors, and compromise battery integrity.

Electric vehicles need a small periodic maintenance. The electrical systems used in electric vehicles including the battery, electric motor, and related electronic components, require periodic maintenance. Though EVs required less maintenance than ICE vehicles, ignoring the need for servicing can lead to compromised safety.

More prevention should be taken in battery and wiring control when automakers design the car. Tesla uses an extra aluminum plate for fire protection between the battery pack and passenger compartment. This is not mandatory or standard yet in electric vehicles. Leading automakers including Toyota, Tesla, Volkswagen, BYD and BMW are investing heavily in developing next-generation solid-state battery technology that should lead to safer batteries.

As with any emerging transport technology, there could be some new risks associated with the increase in electric vehicles – but this doesn't mean that they're any safer or more dangerous than petrol and diesel vehicles. With electric vehicles due to take over our roads in the near future, more research is needed into making sure that they are as safe as possible. The combined efforts of automakers, component suppliers, battery suppliers and regulatory authorities will help to make electric vehicles safer and assist the transition towards electric mobility.

Despite their drawbacks, electric cars can be a cost-effective, environment-friendly mode of transportation and an increasingly viable solution to our global pollution woes. Some countries and carmakers are already promising to end the sale of gas and diesel cars in the near future.