How safe are electric cars?

The 2030 ban on the sale of petrol or diesel cars has put the production of electric cars firmly in the spotlight.

But in the lead-up to the deadline, are electric car manufacturers and the government doing enough to make sure they're safe?

Are electric cars as safe as we think?

The UK government has announced a ban on the sale of diesel and petrol cars no later than 2030 - a deadline that's been brought forwards from 2040. The ban will usher in a new era for alternative fuels.

Electric and hybrid 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.

Do electric cars have any safety features beyond the usual?

'There are no safety features found on plug-in models that aren't found on conventional cars,' says Chris.

However, one feature found only in battery-powered cars could have an impact on safety.

'Regenerative braking isn't specifically a safety feature – it's designed to recapture otherwise lost energy to top up the battery – but as soon as you take your foot off the accelerator, a plug-in car will start braking to a greater or lesser degree depending on what setting the driver has it in,' Chris says.

'In the event of someone braking to try and avoid an accident, a plug-in car with regenerative braking could start decelerating a fraction earlier. However, there are no reports into how much this benefits safety.'

The safety risks of cars with large battery packs

When a Tesla Model S's battery ignited in 2013 after the car was involved in an accident, the car manufacturer added a titanium barrier to their cars.

Then, at the start of 2017, another Model S battery burst into flames after an accident - the problem hadn't been completely solved. But does this mean electric cars are any less safe than combustion engine vehicles?

'There have been few issues associated with these problems, though it seems like more because the new technology gets reported on,' says Chris. 'There seems to be sufficient provision from manufacturers for battery safety, and new systems often require greater levels of safety than established technology as people need to be won over to new concepts.'

He also points out that fires involving combustion engines are far more common. Between April 2016 and March 2017, there were 23,505 road vehicle fires in the UK. Since 2010, only 110,000 alternative fuel vehicles have been registered for use on British roads. When you compare that to the 37.5 million total vehicles currently registered, it stands to reason that the vast majority of these fires involve petrol or diesel vehicles.

'It's still safer driving a pure electric car than a petrol or diesel one,' says Chris, 'as batteries are housed in tough casings, whereas a fuel tank is often made of only fairly thin metal or plastic.'

Working safely with high-voltage cars

Another risk is highlighted by the UK government's Health and Safety Executive (@H_S_E‏). It has issued a warning to anyone working with, maintaining or recovering electric vehicles, observing that they 'introduce hazards into the workplace in addition to those normally associated with the repair and maintenance of vehicles'. 

'There is a safety issue to the high-voltage batteries, but this only really becomes a potential problem when work is being carried out on the car,' says Chris. 'The Institute of the Motor Industry has a course for mechanics to learn how to safely work on hybrid and electric cars.'