- EVs are much less prone to rear-end different vehicles due to improved frontal collision avoidance tech
- They’re, nevertheless, extra prone to be rear-ended
- EVs nonetheless take extra time and are dearer to restore versus gas-powered vehicles
It seems that driving an EV might make you much less of a street hazard—a minimum of from behind. A new research reveals that EVs are racking up fewer and fewer front-end collisions in comparison with their gas-powered counterparts. The info reveals that ICE vehicles are, on common, 6% extra prone to be concerned in a repairable front-end collision than EVs (32% vs 26%, respectively). So what is the secret, precisely? Properly, it is all that fancy new driver-assistance tech!
Let’s dive into why EVs are successful this battle. The key cause is simply how new EVs are to market; fresh-off-the-line EVs on the street have a more recent common mannequin yr in comparison with most gas-powered fashions. This implies newer and extra refreshed tech planted in EVs—lane-keeping, front-crash avoidance methods, and computerized emergency braking—are all doing their job fairly effectively and padding the stats within the EVs’ favor.
Photograph by: Tesla
Curiously, whereas repairable EVs are much less prone to hit a automobile from the entrance, they’re extra prone to be plowed into from the rear. The research reveals that 36% of BEV repairs are for rear-end impacts versus 28% of ICE automobiles. This seems like such a bizarre statistic, does not it? However stick with me right here, as a result of there could be a straightforward rationalization as to why.
The research hypothesizes that regenerative braking could possibly be accountable. Particularly, it calls out the distinction in driving dynamics when driving an EV in single-pedal mode versus utilizing friction braking to decelerate an ICE-powered automotive. Regardless of EVs gaining popularity, they nonetheless solely make up round 8% of recent automobile gross sales, so drivers—you realize, those tailgating you whereas weaving out and in of visitors—may not be prepared for an EV’s regenerative braking to do its factor when the motive force lifts off the gasoline pedal abruptly.
Let’s speak turkey whereas we’re right here. Entrance-end collisions are considerably dearer to repair than being hit within the rear. The research estimates that restore prices are, on common, round 40% increased for front-end crashes, making EVs an surprising ally on this division. The flip facet is that they are nonetheless dearer within the store and take longer to restore.
This could possibly be because of the overwhelmingly excessive use of OEM elements to finish restores. The research goes on to level out that 90.3% of elements utilized in BEV repairs are OEM elements immediately from the producer. ICE automobiles use round 64.4%, which helps to chop down on prices. And to rub salt within the wound, fewer elements might be repaired as a substitute of changed in EVs (12.4% vs 13.9%, respectively).
These stats do not imply that EVs are getting totaled at the next fee than ICE. In actual fact, the entire loss frequency is sort of the identical, differing by lower than one-tenth of a %. Nevertheless, the typical complete lack of an EV is increased at $32,718 for BEVs in Q3 versus $31,070 for mannequin yr 2021 and newer ICE vehicles.
It is solely a matter of time earlier than refreshed gasoline vehicles get outfitted with comparable tech that helps keep away from these embarrassing “whoops” moments behind the wheel. For now, you’ll be able to a minimum of really feel slightly bit safer pulling as much as a purple gentle when an EV is behind you—simply hope that the EV driver does not have a rushing ICE automotive developing behind it.
