A word on EV safety

If you’ve been reading other posts and their comments, you know there have been some safety issues highlighted in regards to electric cars. I wanted to specify which electric cars are having these problems. Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, Low-speed Vehicles, etc go by a different set of standards and aren’t expected to react the same in crash tests for traditional cars. A major reason behind that is that NEVs aren’t expected to be in the same situations.

However, not all electric cars are built this way. Newcomers – specifically the Aptera and the Volt – as well as older models like Toyota’s Rav4EV, were roadworthy as passenger vehicles, not just as cycles. They are true Electric Cars … as some EVs demand they are “vehicles” specifically to avoid this confusion. Is it enough? As they gain in popularity, I think – personally – some consumers will need to have this pointed out to them. It isn’t enough to look a little different, they actually need to be told “this is not a car, and isn’t built to the same standards.”

It’s important to distinguish between different models when considering safety features. Just because something passes federal safety standards doesn’t mean it’s passed safety standards for traditional cars. Just as importantly, being “all electric” doesn’t mean it falls below those standards either.

My favorite electric car that puts safety first?

The Aptera.

From the website …

Knowing the public perception of motorcycle safety, we made the decision to make safety a fundamental part of the design of our vehicles. For example, the Typ-1 roof is designed to EXCEED rollover strength requirements spelled out in FMVSS 216 for passenger vehicles. The doors EXCEED the strength requirement spelled out in FMVSS 214. We decided not just to meet many of the specs for passenger vehicles, which are set above and beyond the requirements for motorcycles, but we chose to exceed them whenever possible. Just a few of the many parts of the safety systems on the Typ-1 are airbag-in seatbelt technology, a front subframe and a firewall that redirect energy around the occupants.

How much is this costing? Less than $30,000.

Granted, people drive bikes and motorcycles on roadways every day without sacrificing their choice for the sake of improved safety features, but they don’t have a false sense of security either. NEVs and low-speed EVs have contributed to the advancement of the electric car, but when evaluating whether to buy one or not, we need to see each of them for what they truly offer.