Are electric vehicles safe to drive?

The trend of electric cars has become very popular in recent years. It is because of this an increasing number of people are switching from conventional cars to electric vehicles. The electric vehicle industry has flourished over the decade and is estimated to witness further growth in the upcoming future. According to Statista, the sales of electric vehicles in 2021 have doubled from 2020, with an enhancement of 51.8%. 

With the government’s support, an increasing number of car manufacturers have started designing and producing electric vehicles to gain from the ongoing trend. The electric vehicle is a trend which is here to stay. Even though the sales of electric cars have flourished over the years, there is still a section of people who are apprehensive about buying electric vehicles. The lack of knowledge and the confusion regarding the safety of such new-age vehicles are staggering otherwise increasing sales to an extent.

The fear associated with the safety of electric vehicles can be stated as futile. Electric vehicles are safe for the driver. EVs are safer than vehicles consisting of internal combustion engines. This is because electric vehicles consist of minimum moving parts and do not comprise any flammable fuels, making them less prone to safety concerns. 

Flammability

Lithium-ion batteries are the power source of every electric vehicle. These are combustible and comprise power cells that tend to short-circuit in cases of damage. This can result in fires. However, this kind of battery possesses a low fire explosion rate compared to fuel-powered vehicles consisting of internal combustion engines. Nowadays, every electric vehicle comes with a protective cooling covering for lithium-ion batteries which are filled with coolant liquid which helps the vehicle to avoid any kind of external damage or short-circuiting. Apart from the preventive measure of external cooling, the electric vehicles are installed in an array that restrains any possibility of malfunctioning damage. 

Air Quality

Electric vehicles are popular for not producing emissions. Conventional fuel-based cars comprising internal combustion engines burn fuel which is responsible for producing hazardous gases, such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. 

The emissions of gases not only harm the atmosphere but are also significantly responsible for contributing to fatal public diseases and illnesses. Electric cars are the best option as they do not produce any emissions like the fuel-powered internal combustion engine, therefore, are responsible for bettering the air quality index.

Maintenance

The maintenance of an electric car is far simple. EVs have far fewer moving components which require minimum maintenance. Unlike conventional fuel-powered vehicles, these are not prone to breakdown. Even though both electric cars and conventional ones need routine maintenance; however, the intervals for electric vehicles are much less than for petrol/diesel-based vehicles. Electric cars possess around 20 moving parts while conventional ones have 2000. This shows that the safety and maintenance of electric vehicles are far more uncomplicated and lower than their traditional counterparts. 

Electric vehicles are safer in case of car accidents

Regardless of the kind, vehicles are fatal machines. Therefore, irrespective of whether it is an electric vehicle or has an internal combustion engine, it can be risky in both cases. However, if we compare both types, then EVs are far safer than fuel-powered vehicles. Conventional vehicles comprise full-tank of petrol/diesel that can be deadly in case of accidents. Electric vehicles are safer in these cases as they do not contain any flammable objects in the tank. Even though lithium-ion batteries are susceptible to catching fire and have explosive characteristics, compared to fuel-powered vehicles they have low risks. This issue of batteries can be solved with everchanging and improving technology. Companies are thus striving and developing ways to solve the issue of batteries and make them fire-resistant. 

Weight

Even the sizeable weight of electric cars possesses a positive impact on safety. Electric vehicles comprise rechargeable power storage systems, which makes them heavier than conventional ones. In case of accidents, by applying basic physics it can be stated that the heavier vehicle will have less deceleration as compared to the light one. Therefore, the heavy weight of electric vehicles helps in posing a low risk in an event of a collision as compared to lighter cars. 

All the above-mentioned points prove the stance of electric vehicles is more susceptible to accidents to be wrong. Electric vehicles like any other vehicle are subjected to the risk of accidents, however, the chances of the risks are much less when compared to their traditional counterparts.