Modern cars from well-known manufacturers usually pass all crash test requirements; the drive plays a rather subordinate role here. During crash tests of e-cars, particular attention is paid to the battery, which is typically located in the underbody of the vehicle.

Deformation of this structure must therefore be prevented. Compared to conventionally powered passenger cars, the safety of electric cars is often even better because of the optimized crash structure [to protect the battery] in the vehicle.

Battery: Dangerous Fires

Critical point: If an electric car catches fire, it is much more difficult to put out the fire – because the lithium-ion battery reignites over and over again. The only option is to cool down the battery by extinguishing water.

While you need several hundred liters of water to extinguish a conventional car, thousands of water are required for a burning e-car. Often the only option is to fully soak the battery. A ray of hope: Research is currently being carried out into special lances with which the extinguishing water can be driven directly into the battery. This would make it possible to extinguish ignited batteries more efficiently in the future.

Risk of Shock?

High-voltage systems in electric cars are potentially deadly if touched. Accordingly, these components and cables are shielded in a complex manner, and in the event of an accident, the power supply is automatically disconnected. When salvaging from an electric patrol car, the emergency services still have to be specially trained to know where to use their tools.

In order to speed up the deployment, the fire brigade recommends so-called rescue cards with a blueprint for the car. These can be downloaded from the manufacturers and mounted behind the driver’s sun visor.