- EVs are much less more likely to rear-end different automobiles due to 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 automobiles
It seems that driving an EV might make you much less of a street hazard—at the very least from behind. A new examine exhibits that EVs are racking up fewer and fewer front-end collisions in comparison with their gas-powered counterparts. The info exhibits that ICE automobiles 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? Nicely, it is all that fancy new driver-assistance tech!
Let’s dive into why EVs are profitable this battle. The foremost motive is simply how new EVs are to market; fresh-off-the-line EVs on the street have a more moderen common mannequin 12 months 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 nicely and padding the stats within the EVs’ favor.
Picture by: Tesla
Apparently, 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 examine exhibits that 36% of BEV repairs are for rear-end impacts versus 28% of ICE autos. This feels like such a bizarre statistic, does not it? However stick with me right here, as a result of there could be a simple rationalization as to why.
The examine hypothesizes that regenerative braking may very well 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 rising in popularity, they nonetheless solely make up round 8% of latest automobile gross sales, so drivers—you recognize, those tailgating you whereas weaving out and in of visitors—won’t be prepared for an EV’s regenerative braking to do its factor when the driving force lifts off the gasoline pedal abruptly.
Let’s discuss turkey whereas we’re right here. Entrance-end collisions are considerably costlier to repair than being hit within the rear. The examine estimates that restore prices are, on common, round 40% larger for front-end crashes, making EVs an sudden ally on this division. The flip aspect is that they are nonetheless costlier within the store and take longer to restore.
This may very well be as a result of overwhelmingly excessive use of OEM elements to finish restores. The examine goes on to level out that 90.3% of elements utilized in BEV repairs are OEM elements immediately from the producer. ICE autos use round 64.4%, which helps to chop down on prices. And to rub salt within the wound, fewer elements 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 charge than ICE. In truth, the whole loss frequency is almost the identical, differing by lower than one-tenth of a p.c. Nevertheless, the common complete lack of an EV is larger at $32,718 for BEVs in Q3 versus $31,070 for mannequin 12 months 2021 and newer ICE automobiles.
It is solely a matter of time earlier than refreshed gasoline automobiles get outfitted with comparable tech that helps keep away from these embarrassing “whoops” moments behind the wheel. For now, you may at the very least really feel a little bit bit safer pulling as much as a crimson gentle when an EV is behind you—simply hope that the EV driver does not have a dashing ICE automotive arising behind it.
