DUEBENDORF, Switzerland – Electrical luxurious automobiles and sport utility automobiles (SUVs) could also be 40% extra more likely to trigger accidents than their customary engine counterparts, probably as a result of drivers are nonetheless getting used to their fast acceleration, French insurer AXA mentioned.
The numbers, primarily based on preliminary developments from claims knowledge and never statistically important, additionally recommend small and micro electrical automobiles are barely much less more likely to trigger accidents than their combustion engine counterparts, AXA mentioned at a crash check demonstration on Thursday.
AXA repeatedly carries out crash exams for automobiles. This yr’s exams, which occurred at a disused airport, targeted on electrical automobiles.
Total accident charges for electrical automobiles are about the identical as for normal automobiles, in line with legal responsibility insurance coverage claims knowledge for “7,000 yr dangers” — on 1,000 autos on the street for seven years — mentioned Bettina Zahnd, head of accident analysis and prevention at AXA Switzerland.
“We noticed that within the micro and small-car lessons barely fewer accidents are brought on by electrical autos. If you happen to have a look at the luxurious and SUV lessons, nevertheless, we see 40% extra accidents with electrical automobiles,” Zahnd mentioned.
“We after all have considered what causes this and acceleration is actually a subject.”
Electrical automobiles speed up not solely shortly, but in addition equally strongly irrespective of how excessive the revolutions per minute, which suggests drivers can discover themselves going quicker than they supposed.
Half of electrical automotive drivers in a survey this yr by AXA needed to modify their driving to replicate the brand new acceleration and braking traits.
“Most acceleration is offered instantly, whereas it takes a second for inside combustion engines with even sturdy horsepower to achieve most acceleration. That locations new calls for on drivers,” Zahnd mentioned.
Gross sales of electrical automobiles are on the rise as charging infrastructure improves and costs come down.
Electrical automobiles accounted for lower than 1% of automobiles on the street in Switzerland and Germany final yr, however made up 1.8% of Swiss new automotive gross sales, or 6.6% together with hybrids, AXA mentioned.
Accidents with electrical automobiles are nearly as harmful for folks inside as with customary automobiles, AXA mentioned. The automobiles are topic to the identical exams and have the identical passive security options like airbags and seatbelts.
However one other AXA survey confirmed most individuals have no idea react if they arrive throughout an electrical automobile crash scene.
Whereas most elements are the identical — securing the scene, alerting rescue groups and offering first assist — it mentioned helpers also needs to strive to make sure the electrical motor is turned off. That is significantly vital as a result of in contrast to an inside combustion engine the motor makes no noise.
In severe crashes, electrical autos’ high-voltage energy vegetation robotically shut down, AXA famous, however broken batteries can catch fireplace as much as 48 hours after a crash, making it harder to cope with the aftermath of an accident.
For one head-on crash check on Thursday, AXA groups eliminated an electrical automotive’s batteries to cut back the chance of them catching fireplace, which might create intense warmth and poisonous fumes.
Zahnd mentioned research in Europe had not replicated U.S. findings that silent electrical automobiles are as a lot as two-thirds extra more likely to trigger accidents with pedestrians or cyclists.
She mentioned the jury was nonetheless out on how crash knowledge would have an effect on the price of insuring electrical versus customary automobiles, noting this all the time mirrored elements round each driver and automotive.
“If I go searching Switzerland there are many insurers that even give reductions for electrical autos as a result of one want to promote electrical automobiles,” she mentioned.