A Review of EV and Gas Car Safety Standards
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When you’re looking for a new vehicle, one of the most important things to consider is safety. After all, you’re going to trust your life and the lives of your friends, family and anyone else you might want to ride along with that vehicle. So, are electric cars safe? How about when you compare them to gasoline vehicles?
Overall Safety
The short answer is that electric vehicles are actually considered safer than gasoline vehicles in some instances. But what’s most important is that they are held to the same federal safety standards. That means at a bare minimum they have to meet certain thresholds to be able to be sold at all. On top of that, because electric vehicles use battery packs, those also need to be tested for safety with their own separate standards.
If you’re looking at rental cars in New York or elsewhere, there are additional areas to consider when looking at the safety of electric vehicles.
Where Electric Vehicles Excel
Their overall design actually provides a number of benefits for electric vehicles compared to their gasoline powered counterparts. The main aspects include the lower center of gravity, the crumple zones and the auto-shutoff feature, each of which help us see how safe electric cars are to drive or ride in.
Center of Gravity – Electric vehicles have the battery low in the vehicle. These batteries are actually quite heavy, which means that the center of gravity of the vehicle is low (where the battery is). Because of this, it’s extremely difficult for an electric vehicle to roll over, especially compared to a number of gas-powered vehicles that are considered roll over risks when involved in an accident.
Crumple Zones – The crumple zones on an electric vehicle are actually better than on a gasoline powered vehicle because there is no engine. This means that there are more spaces available that the vehicle can absorb energy and crumple in the best way possible, which increases the overall safety for the passenger.
Auto-Shutoff – When there’s an accident or when the vehicle short circuits, electric vehicles are designed to turn off automatically. This helps to decrease safety hazards. On the other hand, gasoline powered vehicles will continue running, which could result in fuel leaks and additional danger for those in the vehicles as well as the surrounding area.
Where Concerns Arise
What about the areas where electric vehicles don’t do as well? There are a few things to consider when it comes to purchasing an electric vehicle. These center around weight, first responder awareness and fire risk.
Weight – Electric vehicles don’t have an engine, but they do have a massive battery, which is extremely heavy. This means that the electric vehicle itself is generally heavier than a gasoline powered vehicle and can be an increased risk to those who are on the road (or near it), but not in a vehicle, including cyclists and pedestrians. While the added danger only occurs in the event of collisions, it’s important to consider.
First Responder Awareness – It might not seem important for first responders to have any additional training in dealing with electric vehicles in the event of an accident. However, there are some significant differences in how electric vehicles ‘react’ in the event of an accident. It’s important that first responders understand the differences between gasoline and electric vehicles–such as their high-voltage systems–so they can properly protect the people inside them.
Fire Risk – Everyone has heard of the risk of fire in regards to electric vehicles, but the truth of the matter is that fires are extremely rare. It’s actually less likely to have a fire in an electric vehicle than a gas-powered vehicle. Even more importantly, because there’s no engine, there’s less possibility of explosions or major catastrophic fires that spread to surrounding areas. Battery fires in electric vehicles spread out slowly, but are difficult to put out.
Choosing the Right Vehicle
When it comes to safety, electric vehicles have proven themselves again and again in rigorous testing. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards apply to all vehicles that are driven on the road and include both gasoline-powered vehicles and electric vehicles. This means that electric vehicles do not pose any more safety risk to those using them for transport than any other vehicle. That means, for instance, if you want to rent a Range Rover electric or gasoline, you can feel safe with your choice.
For those wondering–‘Are electric cars safe?’–the answer is, yes. Electric cars are safe and continue to be made safer with each new version, just like gas-powered vehicles. Safety standards are always changing and evolving and car manufacturers, of both gas and electric vehicles, are always looking for ways to meet or exceed those standards.
Safety is important to everyone, because loved ones are riding in our vehicles. When choosing between electric or gas-powered vehicles, however, there’s no reason for concern when it comes to safety. When it comes to crash testing, standard safety features like airbags and seatbelts, and more, electric vehicles are tested the same way as gas versions, and come out equal or better every time.
