Accident researchers at the Axa Group, one of the largest international insurance companies in the world, have been using crash tests to regularly investigate road hazards for years. This time, in two studies, they examined the strengths, weaknesses and risks of the increasing number of electric cars on our roads. The results give food for thought.
Nils Reich, director of property insurance at AXA in Germany, believes that the triumph of electromobility can no longer be stopped. And that’s not entirely unproblematic: “We insurers and our customers also have to manage new risks: Although e-cars do not cause more accidents in this country, they can often lead to more expensive individual claims”.
While braking distance calculations are still taught in driving schools because the dangers on the road increase with increasing speed, there is an additional problem with battery-powered cars that novice drivers have only rarely been confronted with up to now. The greatest risk of accidents in e-cars occurs when accelerating. Electric cars often have a very high torque, which is immediately noticeable. This can therefore lead to an unwanted, jerky increase in speed that could overwhelm the pilot.
This effect is also likely to be the reason for the increased claims frequency for high-performance electric cars. Because a look at the accident statistics from AXA Switzerland shows that electric cars cause 50 percent more damage to one’s own vehicle than conventional combustion engines.
The first crash test also dealt with this problem, in which it was simulated how a Tesla driver supposedly only briefly pressed the power pedal and lost control of the vehicle due to the strong acceleration. He drove towards a roundabout at excessive speed, could no longer brake and drove over the obstacle in the middle. Consequence: The car overturned and the underbody was badly damaged because of the uneven ground.
“The underbody seems to be the Achilles heel of electric cars because the battery is not protected there. Drivers should be aware of this,” said Michael Pfäffli, Head of Accident Research at AXA Switzerland. The manufacturers are therefore called upon not to underestimate the danger from below and to ensure adequate protection, for example by providing the underbody with a titanium plate or similar high-resistance materials.
The AXA accident researchers therefore also recommend introducing an additional crash test scenario for checking stability from below in the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP). If the battery is damaged, a huge fire could result.
Electric cars not only have a different acceleration behavior, their design and weight also differ significantly from vehicles with combustion engines. Cars are generally getting heavier. Compared to vehicles built in 2000 (on average 1340 kilograms), newer cars are around 25 percent heavier. Electromobility gives this trend a disproportionate boost. The AXA accident researchers assume that the average weight of a new vehicle will be two tons in a few years due to battery operation.
The second crash dealt with the weight or the weight difference between vehicles. A Golf VII with a combustion engine and a model of the same type with an electric drive collided head-on at a speed of 50 km/h. Although the electric Golf has exactly the same dimensions, it is 400 kilograms heavier because of its battery and additional reinforcements.
The 1250 kilogram combustion engine Golf is exposed to a significantly higher load in this crash and consequently suffers visibly greater body damage than its electric counterpart. This is ensured by a basic law of physics: The force of the impact – the impulse – results from the multiplication of weight and speed. The impact energy of the e-car is therefore around a third greater, and the poor crash compatibility is to the detriment of other road users.
Conclusion of the AXA crash test 2022: Electric car drivers should be aware of unintentionally rapid acceleration. Dealing with this immediate force must be learned. Anyone driving an electric car should pay particular attention to the underbody. Road islands, stones or roundabouts should be driven on with particular care to prevent damage to the underbody.
And last but not least: A heavy electric car tends to offer greater intrinsic safety because it is heavier. That is precisely why everyone should be aware of the responsibility towards those who move a lighter vehicle. You are at a disadvantage in the event of a crash. (Hans-Robert Richarz, cen)