Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming an increasingly popular method of transport and with the UK government pledging to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, electric vehicles look set to be the future of road travel. However, it isn’t just the environment that EVs are better for. Enhanced safety features and capabilities mean that EVs are now outperforming internal combustion cars when it comes to safety too. Here are just some of the ways that EVs are safer than traditional vehicles.
Lower Centre of Gravity
Electric vehicles typically have a lower centre of gravity than traditional cars due to the location of the battery pack, which is usually placed on the bottom of the car. This creates a strong, stable base, reducing the risk of EVs flipping or rolling, even when travelling at speed or when involved in a collision. The lack of heavy parts such as a fuel tank in the upper section of the car can also contribute to an EVs lower centre of gravity even further, essentially making the car less ‘top heavy’ compared to a traditional car.
Having a lower centre of gravity not only reduces the likelihood of your electric car from tipping over during an accident but can also improve road safety by lowering the risk of accidents thanks to improved handling.
Safety in Collisions
Many EVs score highly in crash tests thanks to improved safety features and lower flammability. If you’re involved in a car accident in an electric vehicle, tests have also shown that the chances of injury to drivers and passengers is actually lower than when travelling in cars with combustion engines, i.e. vehicles that run on petrol or diesel suggesting that electric vehicles are safer to drive and ride in than traditional options.
No combustion engine
Since electric vehicles don’t have a fuel system, they don’t pose the same fire risks that traditional cars do. In a car that has a petrol or diesel tank, fuel can leak following a collision and this can possibly ignite, causing a vehicle fire, which could be a hazard to life. In an electric vehicle, on the other hand, the car’s battery pack has built-in safety features to prevent fires in the case of an accident.
Conclusion
Not only are electric vehicles better for the environment but they also have a wide range of safety benefits compared to cars with combustion engines. Whilst EVs do have their own unique safety concerns, for example, the lack of engine noise making them more hazardous to pedestrians, there are measures in place to address these, such as noise emitter devices. Overall, EVs may present a safer way to travel and help to reduce accidents on the road.
