Are Electric Vehicles Safe in a Crash? The Blunt Truth About EV Fire Risk in Australia
- Tim Bond
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Let’s rip the band-aid off: Aussies want to know—are electric vehicles (EVs) safe in a crash? And are they more likely to catch fire than your old petrol guzzler? Forget the PR spin and clickbait headlines. Here’s the real, unvarnished answer, backed by science, crash data, and a bit of healthy Australian scepticism.
EV Crash Safety: The Hard Numbers
First, the facts. Modern electric vehicles are not just as safe as petrol and diesel cars—they’re often safer. Why? Two reasons: weight and tech.
Crash test dominance: ANCAP, Australia’s own crash-testing authority, has handed out five-star safety ratings to the likes of the Tesla Model 3, Kia EV3, and MG S5 EV. These cars smashed the tests, especially in child occupant and vulnerable road user protection.
Physics on our side: EVs are heavy. That big battery pack slung under the floor means a lower centre of gravity—goodbye, rollover risk. Heavier cars also fare better in a crash. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US both show that EVs outperform most petrol cars in occupant protection.
Advanced safety gear: Most EVs are packed with the latest safety tech—think auto emergency braking, lane-keeping, and extra airbags. Carmakers aren’t mucking about.
Are EVs More Likely to Catch Fire? Let’s Get Real
This is where the media loves to whip up a frenzy. Here’s the blunt truth: EVs are far LESS likely to catch fire than petrol or diesel cars. The numbers don’t lie.
The stats: Globally, about 0.0012% of EVs have caught fire since 2010. For petrol and diesel cars, it’s around 0.1%—that’s more than 80 times higher.
Australian reality: Only six verified EV fires in Australia since 2010. Most weren’t even charging at the time. For comparison, petrol and diesel cars go up in flames every single day.
Why the fear? Lithium-ion batteries can burn hot and are harder to extinguish, but they’re protected by multiple safety layers: steel casings, battery management systems, and automatic disconnects in a crash. Fires are rare and almost always triggered by major collisions, manufacturing defects, or external fires—not spontaneous combustion.
Understanding EV Fire Risk in Australian Crashes
Let’s not sugar-coat it. When an EV battery does catch fire, it’s a beast—hot, smoky, and stubborn. But it’s also rare. Petrol cars leak, spark, and explode far more often. The real “EV fire risk” is not what you’ve been led to believe.
Fire services are ready: Aussie fire brigades are training hard and updating protocols for battery fires. They’re not banning EVs from car parks. They’re just being smart—using more water, isolating damaged cars, and keeping everyone safe.
Don’t charge a damaged EV: If your car’s been in a bingle or flood, get it checked before plugging in. That’s just common sense.
EVs are not ticking time bombs: No, your EV won’t just burst into flames in the driveway. The biggest fire risks come from severe crashes or dodgy repairs, not everyday driving.
The Flip Side: Heavier Cars, New Challenges
Here’s the kicker—EVs are heavier, and that’s great for you inside the car. But it’s not so flash for others. In a crash, heavier vehicles can do more damage to lighter cars and pedestrians. And EVs are quieter at low speeds, so watch out for cyclists and kids.
What worries you most about EV safety?
0%Fire risk after a crash
0%Battery damage in a collision
0%Risk to other road users
0%No concerns—EVs are safe
You can vote for more than one answer.
The Bottom Line: Don’t Buy the Hysteria
EVs are as safe, or safer, than petrol cars in a crash.
EV fire risk is real but tiny—petrol cars are far more likely to burn.
Modern safety tech and Aussie standards mean you’re in good hands.
The media loves a fireball story, but the data says otherwise.
Aussies deserve the facts, not fearmongering. Don’t let the headlines scare you off the future.
Drive Change. Drive Electric
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