The risk of crashes increases with electric drives

The risk of crashes increases with electric drives

According to Michael Pfäffli, head of accident research at AXA Switzerland, the greatest accident risks lie in accelerating. "Most electric cars, especially the powerful ones, have a very high torque, which is immediately noticeable when you tap the power pedal. This can lead to unwanted, jerky acceleration that the driver can no longer control." This so-called overtapping effect is also likely to be the cause of the increased frequency of claims for high-performance electric cars. A look at the accident statistics from AXA Switzerland shows that drivers of electric cars cause 50 percent more collisions with damage to their own vehicle than those of conventional combustion engines.

The accident researchers staged a crash test in which a Tesla driver only briefly pressed the power pedal and lost control of the vehicle due to the strong acceleration. He drives towards a roundabout at excessive speed, can no longer brake and runs over the middle of it. The car overturns and the underbody is severely damaged due to the uneven ground. In the event of a rollover, the passenger cell remains intact; thanks to effective safety systems such as belt tensioners or airbags, the occupants usually have to expect no or minor injuries.

Studies by AXA accident researchers have shown that the underbody of an electric car can be easily damaged when driving over road islands, stones or even a roundabout. Although the drive battery is well protected by additional reinforcements in the body, the accident researchers believe that this protection should be further improved by a titanium plate or similar materials with high resistance. AXA also recommends that the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) introduce an additional crash test scenario to check stability from below. If the battery is actually damaged, as in the accident described above, the result could be a fire that is difficult to extinguish. However, the risk of fire in cars, regardless of whether they run on gasoline or electricity, is very low and is often overestimated in public perception. Statistically speaking, only five out of 10,000 cars fall victim to a fire; marten damage is 38 times more common.

• Fahrer:innen von Elektroautos sollten sich der unbeabsichtigt schnellen Beschleunigung  bewusst sein. Der Umgang mit dieser unmittelbaren Kraft muss gelernt werden. Wenn möglich sollten Fahrer:innen insbesondere in der ersten Zeit nach dem Kauf hinterm Steuer die Stärke der Beschleunigung manuell herunterstufen, um einen größeren Widerstand beim Antippen des Strompedals zu erreichen.
• Fahrer:innen von E-Autos sollten ein besonderes Auge auf den Unterboden werfen. Straßeninseln, Steine oder Kreisel sollten zum Beispiel besonders vorsichtig befahren werden, um eine Beschädigung des Unterbodens zu verhindern.
• Fahrer:innen eines schweren Fahrzeugs verfügen tendenziell über eine höhere Eigensicherheit. Gerade deshalb sollten sie sich der Verantwortung gegenüber anderen Verkehrsteilnehmenden bewusst sein: Leichtere Fahrzeuge sind im Falle eines Crashs benachteiligt.