# What happens if an electric car crashes?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-electric-car-crashes/543377>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 16, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-electric-car-crashes/543377 "2010-06-16T01:10:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-electric-car-crashes/543377/1 "2010-06-16T01:10:18Z")

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Are there any special dangers that emergency services may have to contend with when attending a crash involving an electric car. I’m thinking more along the lines of a fully electric powered car rather than a hybrid (though would a hybrid have it’s own dangers?). Is there any risk of the ‘fuel cells’ causing electrocution or turning the car into a giant conductor or would the car in fact be safer due to their being no petrol to ignite?

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**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-electric-car-crashes/543377/2 "2010-06-16T01:23:15Z")

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It would depend on what the batteries are made of. If they are nickel-metal hydride then they could explode. There could be a shock danger as well, but I think they put in a bunch of circuit breakers which should lessen the danger of shock. There might also be some toxic effects if the batteries are seriously damaged.

All in all, though, I think the dangers would be less (if different) than those in a conventional car crash where the tank ruptures.

-XT

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**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-electric-car-crashes/543377/3 "2010-06-16T01:34:21Z")

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Since no one else has answered this (must be a slow night in GQ), I found [this](http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/vehicles/electric-car-shock.htm) article about electric vehicles that addresses some of the questions asked in the OP.

> [@](#):
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> Auto mechanics and rescue workers do need to be aware of the risks and take proper safety precautions; however, this doesn’t mean electric vehicles are any more dangerous than gas-powered vehicles. They’re just dangerous in a different way. If it’s been ruptured, a full tank of gasoline adds a great deal of danger to a rescue situation, just as a ruptured battery pack or exposed power line presents a risk. Most electric and hybrid cars have extensive safety systems that automatically shut off the power and isolate the battery packs when they detect a collision or a short circuit. Circuit breakers, often located in a compartment under the hood, trip and disconnect the flow of power in the event of an electrical surge or a short circuit. If a car is submerged in water, and some of that water gets into the electrical system, the circuit breakers trip. Even simply shutting down the car interrupts the flow of power from the batteries to the motor, so the high-voltage cables that connect them are left without power. For extra safety, the high-voltage cables are colored bright orange - a visual indicator to avoid contact.

-XT