- EVs are much less more likely to rear-end different vehicles because of improved frontal collision avoidance tech
- They’re, nonetheless, extra more likely to be rear-ended
- EVs nonetheless take extra time and are costlier to restore versus gas-powered vehicles
It seems that driving an EV might make you much less of a street hazard—at the very least from behind. A new research exhibits that EVs are racking up fewer and fewer front-end collisions in comparison with their gas-powered counterparts. The info exhibits that ICE vehicles are, on common, 6% extra more likely to be concerned in a repairable front-end collision than EVs (32% vs 26%, respectively). So what is the secret, precisely? Effectively, it is all that fancy new driver-assistance tech!
Let’s dive into why EVs are profitable this battle. The key cause is simply how new EVs are to market; fresh-off-the-line EVs on the street have a more moderen 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 automated emergency braking—are all doing their job fairly nicely and padding the stats within the EVs’ favor.
Photograph by: Tesla
Curiously, whereas repairable EVs are much less more likely to hit a automobile from the entrance, they’re extra more likely to be plowed into from the rear. The research exhibits that 36% of BEV repairs are for rear-end impacts versus 28% of ICE autos. This appears like such a bizarre statistic, would not it? However stick with me right here, as a result of there is likely to be a straightforward rationalization as to why.
The research hypothesizes that regenerative braking could possibly be guilty. 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 latest automobile gross sales, so drivers—you already know, 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 fuel pedal abruptly.
Let’s speak turkey whereas we’re right here. Entrance-end collisions are considerably costlier to repair than being hit within the rear. The research estimates that restore prices are, on common, round 40% greater for front-end crashes, making EVs an sudden ally on this division. The flip facet is that they are nonetheless costlier within the store and take longer to restore.
This could possibly be as a result of overwhelmingly excessive use of OEM components to finish restores. The research goes on to level out that 90.3% of components utilized in BEV repairs are OEM components instantly from the producer. ICE autos use round 64.4%, which helps to chop down on prices. And to rub salt within the wound, fewer components may be repaired as an alternative of changed in EVs (12.4% vs 13.9%, respectively).
These stats do not imply that EVs are getting totaled at a better fee than ICE. Actually, the entire loss frequency is sort of the identical, differing by lower than one-tenth of a %. Nonetheless, the typical complete lack of an EV is greater 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 fuel vehicles get outfitted with related tech that helps keep away from these embarrassing “whoops” moments behind the wheel. For now, you’ll be able to at the very least really feel slightly bit safer pulling as much as a purple gentle when an EV is behind you—simply hope that the EV driver would not have a rushing ICE automotive arising behind it.
