Electric car safety?

Question

Is it true that if electric cars crash that they emit toxic gasses and can eat away the flesh of the occupants with the acid?

Answer 1

Yes, it's true that if your electric vehicle is powered by lead/acid batteries, like older golf carts, and if a battery is damaged during a crash, then it's possible that corrosive and potentially toxic sulfuric acid could be released. Of course, the same could be said for gasoline powered cars, which also use lead/acid batteries that contain sulfuric acids.

Fortunately, modern technology is working to eliminate the lead/acid type batteries and replace them with dry cell batteries that will not leak if damaged.

Answer 2

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No, this is not true. Lead-acid batteries are no longer used in modern electric cars. But I drive a very old electric car (from 1981.) I have accidentally splashed battery acid on my skin, and it's not that bad (battery acid is highly diluted.) All I did was go in the house and rinse off. My skin itched for a couple of days after that. I would rather risk this than to be splashed with gasoline.
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As for "toxic gases", here's what the EPA says about emissions from gasoline vehicles:

"...Emissions from cars contain many different noxious gases, including several known human carcinogens. In fact, the EPA estimates that automobile fumes account for over 50% of all cancers attributed to outdoor causes."
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Did you know that, over the last several years, almost all the problems with electric vehicle batteries have been solved? Take a look at this car, using batteries based on research from MIT:
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http://phoenixmotorcars.com/models/fleet.html
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The Phoenix can travel up to 250 miles per charge, carries 5 passengers plus cargo at 95mph, charges in only 10 minutes, and has batteries that will last over 250,000 miles (for the life of the car.) Yes, it's a real car, orders have been taken and they begin building cars this month. Cost is about $45,000, but that price will fall if enough sales can be made.
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Did you know this car existed? Why do you suppose we are not hearing about this car from our government, or our mass media?
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Answer 3

No more than the batteries in conventional cars could harm passengers. Batteries should be properly enclosed, whats more the strength of the acid is not sufficient to start causing skin damage right away, it'd only harm somebody if they let it stay on their skin. It's unlikely there would be enough of it to cause problems anyway.

Answer 4

The batteries should be encapsulated to prevent this, but if the accident was bad enough, or the builder didn't follow recommended procedures, I guess that could happen.

Answer 5

No. There is no evidence of that.