I've been thinking of buying my first car, so that I can keep my driving skills up to par. I live in London and I'm a student, so I'm thinking of buying an electric car in order to avoid paying the congestion charge.
I'm just concerned with the safety of electric cars since they are so small.
Are they as safe as normal cars?
2006-11-14 05:18:35 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Safety
If you are thinking of having an accident does it matter which car you have?
2006-11-15 00:29:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
In theory there is no reason why an electric car should be less safe.
The electric versions of the Peugeot 106 were no less safe than the petrol or diesel versions in an accident.
However, the current electric "cars" on sale in the UK, the Reva G-Wiz and the NICE City are not designed to the same standards as most normal cars. The NICE is actually classed as a "quaricycle" not a car, under EC legislation, so does not have to meet the same safety standards, and I suspect the same is true for the Reva. Also, because of Euro-NCAP consumer testing, most new cars exceed the legal standards for crash safety by a great margin.
Most accidents in London are at very low speeds, and having some bodywork around you will be better protection than you would have on a motorbike. So the risk is small.
2006-11-15 20:56:58 · answer #2 · answered by Neil 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, there's no real reason an electric car should be any less safe. If you have nagging doubts, get an electric conversion - a gas car that's been converted to electric. You will get whatever crash safety rating the original car had, with an electric drivetrain. More info on conversions here:
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http://www.squidoo.com/cheap-electric-car/
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As for shock hazards, the direct current supplied by batteries is less aggressively "ground-seeking" than the alternating current we are all used to in our homes. This means it's a lot harder to get a shock without doing something stupid (like grabbing wires.)
2006-11-14 07:08:57 · answer #3 · answered by apeweek 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you do the math, they are as safe as any. There were initial concerns about crashworthyness, that has been dispelled along with the dangerous battery acid myth. Pick the car that suits you and drive defensively. I have been driving autos trucks and aircraft for half a century and I have used this rule to stay safe. Just assume the other guy is out to kill you and you will have the right attitude about driving.
2006-11-14 05:24:24 · answer #4 · answered by yes_its_me 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check their crash test data on the Internet. Do to the high costs of the electrical components, the the manufacturer might scrimp on the body structure to keep the overall cost down. If you are comparing a Smart car vs. Large SUV or large car the bigger mass vehicle is safer.
2006-11-14 05:55:13 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-10-22 02:07:04 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the efforts to make electric cars viable the weight has been drastically reduced compared to regular fuel vehicles so I dispute anyone to say they can be as safe.
If plastic cars are so safe why don't they make all cars this way and save on fuel consumption?
2006-11-14 05:42:31 · answer #7 · answered by Poor one 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes they are as safe as normal cars
2006-11-14 06:27:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
yep
all the electricity is insulated and they have to b safe as n e car to b road legal
2006-11-14 05:29:38 · answer #9 · answered by Gunner 4 life 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They're as safe as a petrol driven vehicle.
2006-11-14 05:24:51 · answer #10 · answered by Polo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋