Given the likely demand for electric cars and the higher frequency of claims by owners of electric cars, crashes involving electric cars are expected to rise, according to a new survey by AXA Insurance. The company recently conducted a representative survey and three crash tests to show how collisions involving these vehicles may impact their drivers.
Surveys on Electric Car Owners
AXA Insurance conducted a representative survey of 1,000 Swiss residents. There are currently 25,000 electric cars operational in Switzerland. Every third car driver in the country plans on buying an electric care in the future. Sales are rapidly rising on the electric cars, especially for those in the 18-24 age range. Additionally, 98% of current electric car owners say that they will stick to their current model and not switch back to conventional powertrain vehicles, according to a survey of 340 electric car owners. Because there will likely be more of these vehicles on the road, it is likely that more collisions will involve these types of vehicles.
Claims by Electric Car Owners
Claims for collisions involving electric vehicles has about the same rate of frequency as other vehicles. However, there is wide disparity when comparing different classes. The microclass and small vehicle category of electric vehicles have about 10% fewer claims frequency when compared to their conventionally powered counterparts. However, AXA Insurance recently reported that electric vehicles in the luxury car/SUV class have about a 40% higher frequency of claims compared to vehicles with conventional powertrains. Some of the reasons for this substantial increase may include:
Faster Acceleration
Electric cars accelerate faster than other types of vehicles, which accident researchers believe is a primary differentiator between them. Maximum acceleration is available immediately for electric vehicles, while it may take several seconds for a conventionally powered vehicle to reach this same acceleration rate. Accident researchers say that this difference places new demands on drivers. About 50% of electronic car owners who were surveyed said that they had to change their driving behavior due to the difference in acceleration and braking.
AXA’s first crash test revealed this dynamic. This scenario involved an electric car driver who was traveling on a freeway and who wanted to accelerate moments before a right-hand curve in the road. This caused the imaginary driver to accelerate faster than anticipated and forced him out of his lane and into the path of oncoming traffic. The oncoming vehicle had no time to respond, resulting in a crash at approximately 45 mph.
More vehicle-specific knowledge is expected
Drivers of electric vehicles often require more specific knowledge about their vehicle than is required of other types of vehicles. This includes knowing how to safely accelerate, decelerate and brake. Electric vehicles have the same safety equipment installed in most other contemporary vehicles. Additionally, their high voltage unit is disabled if they are in a collision. However, sometimes the batteries in electric cars may become damaged during a crash and can cause a fire. If this type of battery catches fire, it will burn very quickly and be difficult to extinguish. Drivers and passengers should quickly exit the vehicle in this type of situation to stay free from burns and toxic fumes.
Quieter Engines
Electric cars are usually much quieter than other vehicles. The dangers of this attribute were displayed in the second crash test. In this test, a woman walks behind a vehicle that is backing out of a parking space. The woman does not know the vehicle is turned on because the engine is so quiet. The driver does not see the woman and hits her as the driver backs out.
Because of this concern, EU law requires all new electric vehicles to be fitted with an acoustic vehicle alerting system. However, there is no requirement for older models to do the same.
Heavier Reliance on Driver Assistance Systems
Another risk factor involved with electric cars is drivers’ heavier reliance on driver assistance systems. Owners of electric cars are often more interested in technological innovations and are more likely to be aware of these systems and use them. For example, 99 out of 100 electric car owners say that they use their autopilot systems. This may lead to drivers over-relying on these systems.
AXA’s third crash test demonstrated the repercussions of this factor. In this scenario the electric car driver is on the highway and is using auto-pilot, which operates the forward and sideways control of the vehicle. The driver is not paying attention. The assistance system gets the vehicle and driver to a highway intersection and reverts controls to the driver. The driver needs to react immediately but is not prepared, causing the car to collide head-on with a shock absorber on the highway.
Protecting Yourself with Electric Cars
Electric cars often contain several safety features that make them safer than other vehicles and protect against collisions. However, their technology is more advanced than many drivers are used to, so drivers must adapt to these features and learn how to properly handle them. They must be alert at all times and monitor the systems.
